Wi-Fi

A few press images of the Sony Xperia manifested online before its expected IFA unveiling in September and just days after a slew of leaked slides on the tablet emerged via a German website.

Android Guys first spotted the latest high-res leaks on the XDA Developers Forum. The forum’s contributor noted the device offers a Tegra3 CPU, 1-megapixel front-facing camera, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 6000 mAh battery, and a magnesium-aluminum alloy body.

The 16GB Experia will apparently sell, according to the XDA thread, for $399.99, while the 32GB and 64GB models cost an additional $100 and $200 respectively, but previous reports for the tablet indicated a slightly higher price scheme.

More rumored specs include Android 4.0 or later, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, and a 8.8mm aluminum shell that is 42 percent thinner than the Tablet S. The slim design is certainly a draw, but that dramatic bezel pictured above is a completely different story.

The full gallery is below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

German news website Mobiflip appears to have leaked slides of the Sony Experia tablet.

The images depict a device, called the “Xperia Sony Tablet”, featuring a Tegra 3 processor, Android 4.0 or later, up to 64GB of built-in storage, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, 6000mAh battery, and a 8.8mm aluminum shell that is 42 percent thinner than the Tablet S.

Perhaps most interesting is the new super-thin keyboard that resembles the Touch cover keyboard that Microsoft announced earlier this year with its Surface Tablet. The Sony Experia’s keyboard cover seals the entire tablet and doubles as a kickstand.

One slide assigned the keyboard cover a $99.99 retail price tag, while the tablet is $449.99 for the 16 GB model, $549.99 for the 32 GB, and $649.99 for the 64 GB. A release date is notable absent.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google Offers will sponsor free Wi-Fi in New York City this summer starting today.

The sponsorship is possible through an agreement with Boingo Wireless. New Yorkers and tourists can now access free Internet at six subway stations and over 200 Boingo hotzones around the borough of Manhattan. The Wi-Fi coverage extends below street level and will last through Sep. 7.

“New Yorkers using the complimentary Wi-Fi services can check out deals from local businesses from Google Offers when they connect at Boingo hotzones throughout the city and at the following subway stations with wireless networks deployed by Transit Wireless,” explained the press release.

Google Offers is an infant deal-of-the-day website that caters localized savings to major geographic markets in the United States. It is the first sponsor of Boingo Wi-Fi, so today’s news is clearly a brand campaign for Google. However, Boingo will also benefit by expanding its initiative. The wireless tech plans to reach 36 subway stations by the end of 2012, with over 270 stations getting access by 2017, to create “a distributed advertising and sponsorship network reaching the subway system’s more than 1.6 billion annual passengers.”

Boingo Wi-Fi is already available at New York-area airports, retail centers, sports venues, hotels, fast food restaurants, and more.

The press release below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google released sworn denials (PDF) on Tuesday from nine Googlers who claimed they had no knowledge about data mining in the Street View mapping project.

Google Street View is a service highlighted in Google Maps and Google Earth that offers panoramic views of streets. It launched in 2007 in the United States and expanded to many cities and rural areas worldwide. The project ambitiously maps the world’s streets with photographs, but the plotting venture allegedly cropped unencrypted Internet data from wireless networks for roughly three years until 2010.

Google’s Street View automobiles gathered sensitive information, including private dispatches, as it roamed many boulevards, avenues, roads, highways, lanes, and thoroughfares across the globe. Tuesday’s unveiled declarations by nine Google engineers featured redacted names and titles, while it explicitly disclosed that the Mountain View, Calif.-based Company employees did not know about the misconduct. The Googlers were in the dark, because either content collection was not a part of their job, or they did not assess given project documentation.

It eventually became publicly clear that Street View gathered unencrypted information, like emails and Internet searches beamed between personal computers from within homes, thanks to German regulators who began to probe the mapping service in their country. When the findings came to light, Google fingered a nameless engineer as being solely responsible for the action, which resulted in a Federal Communications Commission inquiry.

The search engine did not break any laws, the regulatory body found, but it did obstruct the investigation. The F.C.C. fined the company $25,000, despite the sworn documents having been originally provided as part of the inquiry into Street View.

Expand
Expanding
Close

This is a special guest post written by Steven Troughton-Smith. Follow him on Twitter or his blog.

When Google first showed off Android, the company showed it running on a device very similar to Blackberries or Nokia E-class devices of the time. This device was the Google Sooner—an OMAP850 device built by HTC with no touchscreen or Wi-Fi. This was the Android reference device…and the device Google originally built the OS on.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FJHYqE0RDg]

Recently, I got access to a Google Sooner running a very early version of Android. With all the recent information coming out of the Oracle vs. Google trial, I thought it would be interesting to take you on a brief tour of the OS. The build of Android this is running was built on May 15, 2007, which is four months after the iPhone announced. The first M3 version of Android announced in November 2007, and Android 1.0 did not come until a year later….

Expand
Expanding
Close

.

There are reports today that Google’s 7-inch tablet made by ASUS has been delayed until July from an original release window in May.

I was told from the beginning that the tablets would be announced at Google I/O and shipping to the public shortly thereafter, so I do not know if this is a delay at all. The original source for May is Digitimes, so I am not sure how accurate the information is. Perhaps Google was hoping to bank on a little cushion in its delivery window.

What is the reason for the delay?

The Mountain View team plans to make some design changes and hopes to lower the price from the current $249. The tablet, made in partnership with Taiwan’s Asustek Computer, currently comes with a 7-inch screen, an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and is Wi-Fi-only.

Pictured above is the ASUS Memo370T shown off at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in January and due in the second quarter. It has some beefy specs including a Tegra 3 processor, 8-megapixel camera, and a 720P display. It has a retail price of $249, so I am not sure if Google really needs to get the price down too far. This is already a solid tablet.

If the release is pushed to July, it would mean that attendees will not get the tablet at the show (I have not heard this specifically) and would have to get a voucher/mail-in kind of thing like the Samsung ChromeBooks last year.

Expand
Expanding
Close

We knew Samsung’s 2.8-inch Galaxy Pocket at just 12mm thin and weighing 97 grams was coming when the company officially announced the handset last month. At the time, we did not have word on an official United States launch date, but today the device has made its way through the Federal Communications Commission (via Engadget). We do not get many new details on the device that packs an 832MHz processor, 3GB of onboard memory, and built-in FM radio, Wi-Fi, and 3G, but we do learn it will operate on GSM 850 / 1900 and UMTS Band frequencies, which means it might come to AT&T. We will keep you posted when we hear more about an official U.S. launch date.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon is rolling out a big 6.3 update for the Kindle Fire right about now with the following updates:
Expand
Expanding
Close

[brightcove vid=1532728417001&exp3=88243316001&surl=http://c.brightcove.com/services&pubid=88246127001&pk=AQ~~,AAAAFIvhCZk~,7xyzJ_9_m5Guzgt0rNZvDtr2oxJKW81f&w=586&h=512]

Epson America announced it is now shipping the world’s first Android-powered wearable display—the Epson Moverio.

With Google’s impending entry into the glasses space, Epson’s $699.99 offering is essential due to its 80-inch perceived projection display, Dolby Mobile surround sound, Wi-Fi connectivity, 6-hour battery life, 1GB of built-in storage, and 4GB microSDHC with accompanying slot.

Google’s mobile platform powers the track-pad controller and allows a user to watch YouTube or Vimeo videos, play apps and games, browse the Internet, and more. According to Epson America’s Director of New Business Development Anna Jen, there is even support for side-by-side 3D technology:

“The Moverio BT-100 see-through display is poised to significantly impact not only the way people interact with content for personal enjoyment, but the development of content for future applications – from virtual training platforms to a new way to interact with 3D CAD environments to visualizing 3D design renderings.”

The Epson Moverio BT-100 is now available through Epson’s retail website, select resellers, or by pre-order through Amazon. The Tokyo, Japan-based electronics manufacturer also recommended a few apps that take full advantage of its latest achievement, such as Netflix, Pandora, Amazon Kindle, and the Angry Birds suite.

The full presser and additional promo shots are below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

.

Not a bad deal on one of the better Android tablets out there. Woot
Expand
Expanding
Close

Remember when HP had that crazy TouchPad fire sale late last year and some users were lucky enough to get versions already running Android? It appears now that HP was actually testing its own custom builds of Gingerbread on the TouchPad, as indicated by a gesture today. RootzWiki reported that HP gave the CyanogenMod team some very useful information so they could continue work on building its CyanogenMod 9 port for the HP TouchPad. This will make the process much speedier for releasing a stable version of the port.

“HP supports the community and was kind enough to provide us with the Android kernel source and some other GPL components that they modified for the few Touchpads that were accidentally released running Android.”

The bundle of code that HP handed over sadly does not have Wi-Fi support for the tablet, but we are sure that it will not be long with some simple hacking. So, why would HP do such a thing? In related news, CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 0.5 was released yesterday for the HP TouchPad.

Expand
Expanding
Close

A report from GigaOM today noted Google is requesting permission from the Federal Communications Commission to test an unknown “entertainment device.” The trials will take place in the homes of Google employees, and see tests of the mystery device connecting to home electronic equipment over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to test it on home networks in real world situations. Other than that, there is not much we learned from the Google’s filing with the FCC from December (below).

We told you about one yet to be unveiled product we heard Google has in the works with our recent story about the company’s wearable glasses with a heads up display and computer interface. We will have much more on those this coming week…

Google is requesting the trials take place with up to 252 devices from Jan. 17 to July 17 in various locations including Mountain View, New York, Cambridge, Mass., and Los Angeles. Google’s description of the mystery product from the FCC filing is below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

AT&T announced through a press release that it would get the already announced Huawei MediaPad on its 4G network tomorrow. The carrier would not give any specific details on pricing, only that it will be available for “varying price points.” As a refresher, the MediaPad boasts a 7-inch multi-touch display, Android 3.2, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel rear-camera, 1.3-megapixel front-camera, and Wi-Fi. The device should also be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich, soon. The full press release is available after the break.

Expand
Expanding
Close

If you are after an Ice Cream Sandwich tablet you now have exactly two options: the ASUS Transformer Prime which got the update last week, or the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi that just got ICS, according to Motorola.

Note that only the Wi-Fi version gets ICS.  The 3G/LTE versions are coming shortly —we are assuming— due to radio issues.

It is still impressive of ASUS/embarrassing for Google/MOT that ASUS beat the Android tablet reference design to ICS.  The press release is available below…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Samsung announced on Flickr this evening that the company shipped 1 million Galaxy Note units. The Galaxy Note was announced at IFA 2011 and has seen explosion worldwide, despite not landing in the United States yet. In addition, as background, the Galaxy Note rocks a 5.3-inch form-factor that crosses between a phone and tablet. It is worth noting that Samsung is counting devices shipped to stores, as well as customers. The Galaxy Note should be landing in the U.S. sometime in 2012, and we may even hear more at CES. Check out Samsung’s official announcement after the break. (via The Verge)

Expand
Expanding
Close

The MotoACTV was announced in the fall and is flaunted as the ultimate sports watch for those who are active. It ships with Android 2.3 and a custom skin on top, and one would not think the wristwatch could ever be rooted. However, like every other Android device out on the market, the MotoACTV was rooted with Revolutionary’s zergRush exploit. The root enables full Android 2.3 on the wristwatch. As you can see above with the Angry Birds start screen, users can even access the Android Market with the help of CyanogenMod. (via The Verge)

While we do not know if this is exactly useful, it is cool -nonetheless- seeing a tablet user interface run on a 1.6-inch display. The MotoACTV 8GB version is available for $209 on Amazon, and the 16GB version is available for $299. Check it out in action after the break:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon started to roll out another over-the-air update to the Kindle Fire, putting the device at version 6.2.1. The company announced tonight that the update would improve performance and touch responsiveness, allowing a user to choose the items appearing in the carousel. It also gives the ability to add a password lock on Wi-Fi access. To install version 6.2.1, tap the ‘sync’ button in the right corner, or a user can manually install it by downloading the file.

Tonight’s fixes come after many users complaining since getting their device. Our own Seth Weintraub even gave his two cents about the device’s speed in his review:

Expand
Expanding
Close

LTE makes Ice Cream Sandwich all the more tasty…

The biggest difference philisophically is demonstrated in the logos above. No longer a Google phone, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus is a Verizon LTE phone – for all that is worth.

After 24 hours with the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, I am not going to say something that hasn’t already been guessed, so refer to the previous Galaxy Nexus Review for most of my original thoughts. However, here’s what is different:

1. The Verizon GN is slightly thicker to house the LTE Radios/antenna and the larger battery required. It’s also slightly heavier, but you will not notice or care about the size difference. Five people, who I’ve given blind tests to, could hardly determine one from the other. Battery life differences will matter more, though, as I have not run through my initial full charge on Verizon. So, that’s a good sign for the LTE version, but I still believe people will be able to go longer on HSPA+. By perhaps saving a little bit of space, Verizon/Samsung opted for an LTE Micro-SIM rather than a full sized one. This is interesting, especially when the International version is a full sized GSM variant.
2. Bigger also means 32 GB on Verizon’s LTE vs. 16 GB on HSPA+
3. LTE is faaaast (shocker!) and adds to an already lightning quick phone. Browsing is silly fast here: You have the fastest browser, coupled with one of the fastest processors, and an LTE connection to boot. We’re talking about desktop speeds here folks. Honestly, when I’m on a good LTE connection, it is as fast as Wifi on a Cable broadband connection… almost indistinguishable.
4. GPS is still a bit laggy compared to other manufacturers; however, since GPS is often tied to the Baseband, I was hoping for improvement. Both versions are the same.
5. They feel the same processor/GPU wise. There might be some differences, but real world – you won’t notice much.
6. Verizon Backup Assistant and My Verizon Mobile come on the device. You can delete these from Manage apps, and I’m sure many will.
7. For $149 on a Verizon LTE plan vs. purchasing the International version for $700+ and getting on an HSPA+ plan from T-Mobile or AT&T, I am going to wager that it is going to sell much faster than the international/unsubsidized (and the lines seem to bear this out). Whatever Verizon did to get the exclusive here was worth it (for them, not for us Google/Samsung customers).
8. While there are no VCast Apps or navigation apps, it would appear that Google relented in putting its Wallet on the Verizon device. Verizon’s line needs more testing. I anticipate it will be allowed on the device around the time Verizon’s ISIS service arrives in 2012, if ever.

[slideshow]

Bottom line: If you are cool with Verizon and their 4G plans, missing out on Google Wallet and battery life isn’t the dominating factor in choosing a phone, so go grab one of these now. This is by far the best Android device on the market (by the way, Verizon is offering a bigger battery pack for $25).

However, if you want to roam internationally, hope to use Google Wallet or want some carrier/plan freedom or need to be on AT&T/T-Mobile, you are going to want the International version. So, pick up another device or wait it out.

Anyway…we’ll have a more in-depth look at this device when we’ve had more time to play.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Following the release of Cyanogenmod 7 on the Kindle Fire, an Xda-Developers user has ported the latest and greatest Ice Cream Sandwich to the device. The port is currently a bit sketchy — missing audio, Wi-Fi, accelerometer, and light sensor — but does have a working touch panel and hardware graphics. The forum user promises a release of the code in the near future, and we can promise you this project isn’t for the feeble. You have to remember there’s no going back if you mess up. But it doesn’t hurt to look does it? Head on after the break to see the port in action.

Expand
Expanding
Close