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f you own a MAc and have had issues with loading music on your PlayBook you will be happey to know that RIM is pushing out an updated to BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac. BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac v2.3.1 is said to allow you to sync media, backup, restore, and update the BlackBerry PlayBook Software onPlayBook OS 2.0.1.
Another day, another Facebook for BlackBerry update. Looks like bugs are getting sorted out in this release, as the previous one was the big jump to version 3.0.
Facebook for BlackBerry recently got a visual overhaul with improved compatibility for some of the newest Facebook features: better BBM Connect integration, including sharing a specific post to a BBM contact; an improved interface and UI with easier access to Privacy Settings; improved Facebook Message notifications, including those that haven’t been pushed to the device, based on usage.
If you haven’t already, download Facebook for BlackBerry from the App World.
Via: NerdBerry
Nokia Lumia 900 now has new special edition. Beside white edition, this Lumia 900 has been spotted with magenta color. This magenta edition was spotted in Finnish retailer, Gigantti. The availability of this magenta edition still don’t know, but based on the site, they have been taking pre-order ahead. The Lumia 900 was smartphone that powered with Windows Phone (7) Operating system, has 4.3 inch touchscreen display, 16GB internal storage, and it has 5.6 oz weight. Now, for you who interesting with special edition, are you interesting with this Nokia Lumia 900 magenta edition ?
Source: engadget
Research In Motion is gearing up to release its first BlackBerry 10 device. So far, we’ve seen a few leaked photos of BlackBerry 10 and even a prototype photo of the ‘BlackBerry London’ pop up. But when will a BlackBerry 10 device release? RIM’s CEO, Thorsten Heins, has stated we’ll see a BlackBerry 10 device by “later half of 2012″.
One of our sources has revealed to us that RIM intends to announce the first BlackBerry 10 device by mid-August. The first BlackBerry 10 device will be touch only and we’re told has a projected market release for first half of October. As expected, RIM plans to pump a lot of marketing dollars into BlackBerry 10. The early release shows this as the first BlackBerry 10 device will release slightly after the back-to-school and just before the Holiday markets.
We’re also told the first BlackBerry 10 device with physical QWERTY keyboard is planned for an expected Q1 2013 release. Although, we’re unsure if this will be the BlackBerry 10 slider we’ve been hearing about. Nonetheless, we’re excited to hear that the first BlackBerry 10 device is pegged for an earlier than thought release! How do you feel about the first BlackBerry 10 device being touch-only? source
Want your phone’s graphics to match those of top gaming systems such as the Xbox 360? Just wait until about 2014 when graphics hardware giant NVIDIA estimates that smartphone graphics might whip those of the popular gaming console.
According to a chart showing yearly graphic performance of console, PC, and mobile devices, it looks like your smartphone could soon host the same type of graphics processing unit (GPU) as the Xbox 360.
Apple’s new iPad, with its stunning Retina display, makes games such as Infinity Blade Dungeons look even crisper. But could your smartphone replace your Xbox gaming system? Maybe not yet — at the moment this is just speculation. Plus it’s been six years since Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have updated their consoles. It’s possible sharper graphics are on everyone’s “to-do” list.
Would you prefer to play games on your smartphone, console or both, if the graphics were both top-notch? Tell us in the comments. source
A new report from Asia is claiming that the 2012 iPhone will flaunt a new design, and will use “liquid metal” technology. Thinner, lighter and still stylish, the report suggests that Apple’s partnership with LiquidMetal technologies will take the iPhone keynote’s centerstage.
For starters, Apple signed a deal with Liquidmetal Technologies two years ago allowing them to use the patents related to metal and alloy designs. So basically, the rumor is based on an old Apple news.
According to a South Korean news agency, Apple’s next smartphone will use amorphous metals for its main body, and it will compete against Samsung’s flagship Android phone which is reportedly using ceramic. With the patented metals, Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected to be “highly resistant to external impacts.”
The metals that Liquidmetal developed, apparently, offer benefits that will allow Apple to make a thinner and lighter devices. These metals offer elasticity too, so we might see a “curved” design (if the report is accurate). Liquidmetal’s patented metals also focus on strength, hardness, corrosion and wear-resistance, and acoustical properties.
Last week, rumormongers said the next iPhone might also feature a 3D display just because the California-based phone and computer maker is set to hire a 3D technology expert. It is worth noting that Apple is also rumored to unveil its own TV set this year, so the 3D expert, hopefully, will not work with the next iPhone because 3D on smartphones is not yet ready for primetime due to lack of content.
Last year, Apple upgraded the iPhone by introducing a new CPU, the dual-core A5 chip (originally from the iPad 2), and the new camera sensor, an 8-megapixel back-facing camera that supports 1080p video recording. This year, analysts and tech bloggers are expecting to see an iPhone 5 with the dual-core A5X chip and quad-core graphics processor, also with 12 megapixels camera, larger screen, and also a new, and not iPhone 4-ish design.
In related news, Apple’s new iPhone partner in United States, Sprint, is reportedly rolling out more LTE cities before June, the rumored launch month of the iPhone 5. According to reports, Sprint’s incoming LTE network will welcome more than 12 cities, and joining the original 6 cities announced, Sprint will reportedly switch on Long Term Evolution in Akron, Chicago, Fort Worth, Nashville, New York, Rialto and Stockton.
Analysts believe that LTE is the most important asset this year, and Sprint’s last chance against Verizon and AT&T is about LTE. Opening more LTE areas will allow Sprint to attract more customers, specifically the “advanced” users who care about the speed of the phone’s internet.
Similar to the new iPad, the iPhone 5 might use the A5X chip, the redesigned system-on-a-chip which supports AT&T and Verizon’s LTE networks and other wireless carriers in other countries.
With LTE or Long Term Evolution, customers can stream videos and music faster, and download files even faster than the traditional home broadband. source
HTC is in a bind, too. Not a Nokia-sized bind, perhaps, but a tough situation nonetheless. The Taiwan-based vendor has been making terrific smartphones for a number of years now, but it really saw its business take off in 2011 with six consecutive months of record revenue. That impressive streak came to an abrupt end thanks to the launch of the iPhone 4S and increased competition from Samsung, however, and the company’s new One-series smartphones are the first collective step toward regaining an edge in the competitive smartphone market. Two One-series smartphones are set to launch in the United States this month, and here, I take a look at T-Mobile’s upcoming flagship One S to see if it may indeed position HTC for a comeback.
picture HTC One S
The Inside
HTC’s One-series smartphones are all impressive, and I’ve spent some time with each of the three handsets the company unveiled in Barcelona this past February. The One V was a surprisingly capable entry-level smartphone, and the One X is a tremendous high-end device. For my money, however, the One S is the star of the show.
The One X garnered the lion’s share of attention when these devices were unveiled, and the fanfare for this impressive device started even before then in November when BGR exclusively detailed the phone ahead of its announcement. The One X deserves all of the attention it is getting, but the One S absolutely shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle.
HTC’s One S is a marvel of modern design and engineering. In a case that is just 7.95 millimeters thick, HTC packed an array of cutting-edge technology that couldn’t fit into a smartphone three times its thickness even a year ago.
A Qualcomm MSM8260A Snapdragon S4 processor, which combines a dual-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU and an Adreno 225 GPU, powers the One S, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is very responsive as a result. Responsiveness aside, I have noticed some slight hiccups here and there under heavy use, but we’ll cover that a bit later.
The One S also houses GSM, WCDMA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, as well as 16GB of internal storage that is not expandable and 1GB of RAM. This is T-Mobile’s fourth cell phone and sixth device overall to support the carrier’s HSPA+ 42 network technology, and I found data speeds to be a bit faster than other previous-generation 4G networks.
The Outside
T-Mobile’s One S features build quality that is second to none. The phone sports a unibody aluminum case with a unique anodized finish that includes a gradient on the back. The finish is dark gray toward the bottom of the phone and it fades to light gray at the top, and the rubber-finish plastic pieces at the top and bottom continue the fade, creating an interesting overall look.
The face of HTC’s One S is comprised mainly of Corning Gorilla Glass that covers a 4.3-inch, 540 x 960-pixel (qHD), Super AMOLED display with a rating of 256 pixels per inch. It’s gorgeous. The screen is on par with some of Samsung’s recent Super AMOLED displays, and the colors are deep and vivid. Its oleophobic coating also does an even better job of repelling oils than Apple’s iPhone 4S, with is a huge feat that does not go unnoticed.
A T-Mobile logo is the only branding on the face of the phone, and it is located between the top of the display and the ear speaker. A front-facing VGA camera is positioned to the right of the speaker, and the three on-screen Ice Cream Sandwich navigation buttons are replaced by capacitive buttons beneath the display. I found the quality of audio from the ear speaker to be somewhat lacking during voice calls. The volume is adequate but sound is a bit tinny and a faint hissing sound accompanied the audio on several test calls.
The bottom of the phone houses only a small opening for the main microphone and the top is home to a standard 3.5-millimeter audio jack, a secondary microphone for noise cancellation and a power button. A volume rocker sits on the right edge of the phone while microUSB port is included on the left side. A speaker sits near the bottom on the back of the One S and branding occupies the middle area. At the top sits a large camera lens surrounding by a blue aluminum enclosure, and a multi-stage LED flash is located off to the right of the lens.
Overall, the phone measures 130.9 x 65 x 7.8 millimeters and weighs 119.5 grams.
The Upside
I am absolutely blown away by the One S in terms of design and build. This smartphone sets the bar for flagship devices in 2012, and I doubt many phones will even approach the One S this year.
At 7.95 millimeters, this smartphone is one of the thinnest handsets that has ever been produced. At the same time, the phone is extremely solid and it has a terrific feel in the hand. The anodized coating has a smooth feel as opposed to the ceramic feel of the micro-arc oxidized version, but it does not feel cheap at all like many plastics do.
The phone also includes fantastic detailing on the sides. Instead of being flat or smooth and rounded, the case features edges that come to a point that curves down both sides. Beyond adding to the unique look of the phone, it creates the illusion that the whole handset is concave when in fact the face is perfectly flat and the back is slightly convex. It’s a small detail, but one that doesn’t go unappreciated.
Moving past the hardware, the real story here is Sense 4.
I have historically been a fan of HTC Sense, but to call Sense 4 a huge improvement is an understatement. HTC saw a good amount of backlash following the launch of Sense 3 as users began to complain quite loudly that HTC’s UI and services layer was becoming far too cumbersome and complex. The vendor took that criticism to heart and Sense 4 is a reimagining of HTC’s software that lets Android 4.0 shine but enhances the experience in a number of key areas.
The overall look of HTC’s UI elements is softer in this iteration of Sense. It uses more light elements and fewer dark colors, and several animations have been refined as well. Starting with the weather widget that greets users on the center home screen, HTC’s widgets are still my favorite among all of the various vendor interfaces and they match the look of the UI perfectly.
Even more appealing than the look itself is the added personalization and functionality Sense 4 affords. A few quick examples:
Sense’s weather feature includes a setting that is so simple and so useful it pains me that it doesn’t exist on every smartphone. With the check of a box — and it is checked by default — the One S will display a large graphic on the lock screen with the current temperature and the current day’s forecast the first time a user wakes the phone up each day. The next time the users wakes up his or her phone, the regular lock screen will be present.
Another example is HTC’s smart use of the accelerometer and other sensors. Using simple settings available in the Sound menu, the One S can immediately decrease the ringer volume when a phone is picked up while ringing to alert the user of an incoming call. There is also a “Pocket mode” feature that instructs the phone to automatically increase the ringer volume when a phone is tucked away in a pocket or purse, and another feature that will automatically enable the device’s speakerphone mode when it is flipped over and placed face-down. Speakerphone is then automatically disabled when the phone is lifted back up.
Smart little details like these combine to create an overall experience that is a cut above the competition where customization is concerned.
The camera hardware and software are also areas where the One S really shines. HTC’s One-series smartphones feature camera technology that has never been included in a smartphone before, and it allows users to take mobile photography to the next level.
The One S features an 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 wide-angle lens. It can capture 1080p HD video at 60 fps and snap 8-megapixel stills as it does. It can shoot multiple images per second in burst mode and then allow the user to flip through them and pick the best photo to save. Images are actually captured in RAW format, converted to JPG and saved, and then the camera returns to a ready state — all within the span of 0.7 seconds.
The quality of the images the One S captures is among the best I’ve seen on a smartphone. Colors can sometimes appear a bit washed out in certain lighting, but the clarity of the shots is very impressive for a smartphone. The camera UI includes a number of great new features as well, ranging from HDR and a special low-light mode to integrated Instagram-like retro filters.
Finally, Beats Audio is a feature I really do enjoy on the One S and HTC’s other recent smartphones.
In Sense 4, Beats Audio tuning is available not just for the device’s integrated music player, but for all audio. Whether the user plays music through Google Play Music, Pandora, Slacker, iHeartRadio, the in-built music player or any other apps, Beats signal processing has a dramatic impact on sound quality; more so than equalizer functions on any other smartphone, in my opinion.
The Beats Audio equalization makes sound much fuller. Bass is deeper, mids are more clear and highs are cleaner. The feature is tuned for optimal performance with Beats headphones — which, by the way, will be on sale in T-Mobile stores across the country along with HTC’s MediaLink accessory — but it has a dramatic impact on audio quality regardless of what brand headset or speakers are being used.
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The Downside
As much praise as I gave the design and materials found on the One S, I far prefer the micro-arc oxidized aluminum finish on the international version of the phone.
Micro-arc oxidation refers to a process where aluminum is treated by blasting it with plasma at extremely high temperatures. The result is a silky finish similar to ceramic that is soft to the touch but incredibly solid thanks to the aluminum that lies beneath. HTC has confirmed that there are chipping issues with this finish however, and I have experienced them myself with the demo unit I have. As such, T-Mobile may have dodged a bullet by opting for the anodized version of this phone.
Beyond the phone’s feel and finish, which are largely matters of opinion, the performance issues I mentioned previously are the only significant drawback with this handset in my eyes.
While I found overall performance to be very impressive, the phone has a tendency to hiccup in certain instances. For example, any time I exit an app and go to the phone’s home screen, the live wallpaper I use (Phase Beam) stutters and the animation jumps backward a bit. It’s quite bizarre and while it may not seem like a major issue, it’s very annoying to see dozens of times each day, every single time I leave an app.
There are other hiccups as well, mostly when the device is running a number of processes simultaneously and available memory gets low. Sometimes a scroll skips, sometimes an app lags when it’s opened, and so on. These issues don’t harm the user experience irreparably, but smartphones running Windows Phone or iOS do not have these problems and neither do a number of recent flagship Android devices. I’m not sure if Sense is the culprit, but I sincerely hope that a future software update irons out these kinks.
The Bottom Line
I won’t beat around the bush: when the HTC One S launches on April 25th for $199.99, it will be one of the best smartphones T-Mobile has ever launched. In fact, it might be the best.
HTC had a lot to prove with its One-series smartphones, and in terms of hardware and software, it delivered. There are some issues that need to be ironed out, as there are with all smartphones, but the company did a tremendous job marrying Google’s latest Android operating system with its own unique features and UI elements. T-Mobile’s network offers very solid performance in my area, and the fast speeds I experienced will be even faster when the One S launches next week with HSPA+ 42 provisioned.
HTC’s One S features an outstanding design that is both unique and elegant, solid construction, an amazing camera, a terrific user interface and outstanding all-around performance. Samsung’s Galaxy S III could pose a serious threat to HTC in the near-term, but I’m confident that the One S will hold its own against Samsung’s new flagship in terms of hardware and software. I’m also confident that the overwhelming majority of T-Mobile subscribers who choose to take a look at this sleek smartphone will be very impressed. the source
We have been informed by a trusted source that HTC’s One X, one of the best smartphones ever to come out of Taiwan, will be available on AT&T as early as this week. We have also been told that AT&T may announce availability details tomorrow, and that the handset’s release should follow within five to seven days of the carrier’s announcement. AT&T’s version of the HTC One X swaps out the quad-core Tegra 3 processor for a dual-core Snapdragon CPU in order to accommodate 4G LTE connectivity,but unlike the complete redesign we saw on Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE, the AT&T version should be nearly identical to the international model.
Galaxy Nexus release date its coming April 22nd for $200
Remember CES? It feels like an age since Sprint went official with the Google flagship, but now it's finally -- almost -- here. Yep, anyone unhappy with the Verizon variant can now lay claim to the Now Network's version of the Galaxy Nexus, which is up for preorder now, priced at a smidgen under $200, and set to arrive next week. As an added incentive, Google Wallet dabblers will get $10 credit from the start, with an additional 40 bucks given after three weeks. Commence throwing that physical money at the screen once you've hit up the source below.
This morning, Sprint announced Galaxy Nexus will be available on April 22 for $199.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Pre-order begins today at www.sprint.com/nexus. As an extra bonus, Sprint customers who activate a Google Wallet account within a week of activation of their Galaxy Nexus will receive a $10 instant credit on their Google Wallet account and an additional $40 credit within three weeks.
It boasts a Pure Google experience, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED™ contour display and dual cameras. source
Price $120.00 Samsung Galaxy Nexus S I9020
-16GB Internal Storage
-1 GHz Cortex Processor
-512MB RAM
-Android OS set to factory settings, upgradable to Android 4.0.4
-Includes Two Batteries, USB Charger and Cable, Case, Screen Protector, and unused Noise Canceling Headphones.
-Screen is CRACKED, however it works perfectly fine.
-Phone is in mint condition with exception of screen
-Does not come with SIM card, but it works on any network.
If you’re anything like me, you always have to have the latest and greatest piece of technology. Unlike me, though, you may not be eager take that shiny new gadget and unlock, root, install a custom OS, or brick it in the name of progress.
Rooting an Android smartphone and installing custom firmware is always a risky proposition, and by doing so you void your smartphone warranty and may even render the device inoperable. Please be careful when trying to root your phone, as PCWorld cannot be held responsible for the consequences if you accidentally brick your Galaxy Nexus in an attempt to make it more awesome. Of course, Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus (with Google's Android OS and Verizon as carrier) is already a pretty awesome smartphone; it may be the best phone currently on the market, and it's certainly one of the best smartphones Google has ever endorsed. the source
After launching on Android in October, iOS in January, and on the web in February, the chat app everyone isn't talking about is finally available on BlackBerry. As well as expanding its availability to all BlackBerry users (it was available for the BlackBerry Torch last month), Samsung has released a tablet-optimized version for Honeycomb and ICS tablets, which is available in Google Play now. ChatON has been downloaded from Google Play between half a million and one million times, which pales in comparison to the 10,000,000+ downloads the Android version of WhatsApp, its nearest cross-platform competitor, has racked up.
For BlackBerry users, there's no PlayBook app yet, but there are versions for "Touch Phone" and "None Touch Phone" available on Samsung's ChatON website. The app doesn't appear to have made its way into the BlackBerry App World just yet. Regardless, it's a free download, so if your curiosity has been piqued, head over to the source link below to check it out. source
Mobile application development has observed huge need in the latest years, along with the rapidly developing price of people utilizing smartphones throughout the world. People choose smartphones over function phones as mobile phones have added comfort in one’s life. People utilize their androids for checking information or stock prices, locating eating places and locations. There exists a severe competition amongst application developers as nicely the businesses that own mobile phones ‘operating techniques. The fight of smartphone systems has also turned on confusion amongst mobile application development businesses as nicely as their customers. Businesses about the globe are trading in iPad development, iPhone application development and Google android application development to reach people at large.
Blackberry Vs Android Vs iPhone
Blackberry Vs Android Vs iPhone walkthrough
Range of Android Application Development: Google gives you Google android to the smart phone manufacturers for free, however has not been recently directly included in the law suits since it will not make its very own mobile phone gadget. Mobile manufacturers such as Samsung, HTC, LG, Huawei and other people have gained massive profits from Google android OS androids. Consumers’ attention in Android devices has grown more than couple of months and has reduced the market place of RIM’S BlackBerry to an excellent extent. Consequently, many mobile application development businesses have lost their own attention in mobile application development for BlackBerry OPERATING-SYSTEM. It really is due to the developing popularity and range of Google android application development, that BlackBerry mobile phones are now assisting Android programs.
Google Have fun with: Google has lately launched Google Have fun with – an incorporated destination for applications, books, movies, and music, available to users upon Android gadgets and to anybody on the Internet. Google Have fun with is made on the exact same infrastructure as Google android Market and it all replaces and stretches Google android Market. Mobile application development resources for Google Have fun with are the exact same as for Google android Market. The customers follow the exact same procedure for signing in and creating payments with this upgraded application store. Lately, the attention in Google android has reduced due to the tendency of becoming open up for malware. Becoming an open source platform, malicious malware have been recently attacking on applications which has created users cautions in relation to using an Google android smartphone for creating transactions and utilizing tax applications. Based to a study, thousands of Google android OS mobile phones and other gadgets have been contaminated with viruses that have ripped customers of their delicate data and triggered them the great deal of problems. Customers are guaranteed to secure their own devices through installing third-party anti-virus softwares. However that is not imply that iPhone is actually 100% safe. Lately, McAfee has documented Apple’s operating-system much more secure than other people, but occasionally vulnerabilities are found in its applications.
The reason why people adore iPhone Applications: The trend of iPhone and iPad amongst the people has used iPhone application development to new levels. People adore iPhone for numerous programs, games and widgets. Application developers have attention in building mobile application for iOS. Apple company has secured prominence over BlackBerry smartphone maker Investigation in Movement (RIM). iPhone and iPad application development consists of iPhone games development, iPhone widget development, iPhone m-commerce solution, theme, mock, symbol developing, iPhone web service Integration, iPhone mobile web site development, iPhone add-ons and plug-ins together with travelling, navigation and weather forecasting mobile application development. You can also perform shopping through iPhone app through heading to the application of their preferred store and buying their desired item. Regarding Blackberry Vs Android Vs iPhone, BlackBerry has lost the place that it all utilized to have some time back. BlackBerry had been considered as the smart phone for the top notch and professionals. Great the wealthy and fashionable have moved their attention in iPhone and Google android devices and business people have additionally moved towards iPhone as it really is useful and has a lot more than such a BlackBerry smartphone gives. Still in a few African and Middle Eastern nations when we talk about Blackberry Vs Android Vs iPhone, youngsters and business professionals nevertheless use BlackBerry devices over costly iPhone gadgets.
In the end, there is no ending point regarding Blackberry Vs Android Vs iPhone. It’s always come back to the user needs, for instance, blackberry are much better on handling e-mail, and not least the massive Blackberry Messenger Network that has been the reason for people using blackberry. Be wise as the consumer, you know what you need most. source
Version 4.0 of Karta Mobile's leading BlackBerry App for Getting Things Done (GTD) Viira adds an elegant user interface and support for advanced aspects of GTD like multiple contexts, next actions, contact tasks and more to an already feature-rich mobile organization system.
Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) April 16, 2012
Karta Mobile Inc. has announced the release of version 4.0 of Viira, its popular BlackBerry app for Getting Things Done (GTD®). The latest version introduces an elegant user experience, deeper integration with users' mobile devices, rich and comprehensive support for advanced aspects of Getting Things Done and solidifies Viira's position as the go-to application for GTD on the BlackBerry platform.
"Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" is a New York Times bestseller written by David Allen and embraced by countless of entrepreneurs, executives and busy professionals worldwide. The method emphasizes the importance of organizing all of one's to-dos, commitments and ideas in a well-designed and tuned system for easy retrieval and a stress-free, focused execution.
Following in the footsteps of Viira's companion GTD Outlook solution the Viira Outlook Suite, Viira 4 introduces the ability to incorporate contact-based tasks and actions in one portable GTD system. Contact tasks maintain a link to the original contact making it easy to call, email, follow-up and incorporate techniques from CRM into one's Getting Things Done system.
Unlike a number of mobile applications that claim adherence to the principles of Getting Things Done but don't go beyond support of the most basic elements of GTD such as projects and task lists, Viira's rich and intuitive classification system provides powerful organizational capabilities that cover all aspects of the Getting Things Done process. Users can file tasks, to-dos and actionable items in projects, contexts as well as categorize them by day, order and priority.
Version 4.0 also introduces the ability to tag a task in multiple contexts making fine-tuned organization within easy reach. With software support for identifying Next Actions, a key element of Getting Things Done, users can now flag any task that is immediately actionable as a next action and Viira will conveniently display them in a separate view making it easy to keep a track of actions that are immediately outstanding as well as to complete tasks and projects in quick succession.
Viira comes with a 14-day free trial and is supported on BlackBerry models with OS 5.0 or later, including OS 7 and OS 7.1. A touch screen interface makes performing common actions as easy as a tap on the screen with touch screen BlackBerry models like the Bold 9900 and the Torch 98xx series.
Contact: contact (at) kartamobile (dot) com
Company website: www.kartamobile.com
Flickr stream: www.flickr.com/photos/gtdviira
About Karta Mobile Inc.
Karta Mobile Inc. is a Vancouver, BC company that specializes in the creation of business-centric mobile applications. Karta Mobile's flagship BlackBerry software app Viira is the leading GTD-based productivity application and has received numerous media reviews and positive testimonials. Karta Mobile has announced the upcoming GTD Android version of Viira.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebgtd/blackberry/prweb9401493.htm
Nokia yesterday announced a $100 credit for anyone buying the Lumia 900 between now and April 21, effectively making the device free for users to buy. So how much does it cost the company to produce each unit? According to latest reports, the bill of parts for each phone is nearly $210.
According to IHS iSupply, the Nokia Lumia 900 carries a bill of materials of just $209. IHS reports that a cost-reduced design and close cooperation between Microsoft and Nokia have resulted in a high-end smartphone with relatively low-cost parts and a BOM that is 46 percent of the Lumia 900's off-contract retail price.
"With the Lumia 900, Nokia, Microsoft and Qualcomm have taken a page from Apple Inc.’s playbook by closely tying together the hardware and software to produce a full-featured smartphone that is based on relatively inexpensive electronic components," said Andrew Rassweiler, senior principal analyst, teardown services, at IHS. He later added: "But while Apple capitalizes on its low hardware costs to attain industry-leading margins, Nokia is using this approach to offer an inexpensive phone intended to compete on the basis of price."
iSupply's preliminary analysis highlights the screen as the most expensive component with a $58 price tag. Other costly parts include the wireless section, and the memory. The cheapest part of the phone was the $4.50 battery, and manufacturing cost is thought to add a further $8 to the $209 BOM.
BBy Introducing the Lumia 900, Nokia is effectively bringing a larger, 4G LTE, version of their Lumia 800 to the market. It has just about all the qualities of its predecessor, but the larger size changes the user experience slightly, and the battery life seems to be better out of the box. The Nokia Lumia 900 builds on the new industrial introduced by the Nokia N9 which uses a single bloc of polycarbonate that effectively becomes a cradle for the rest of the phone. This makes it extremely resistant to shocks, while giving it a soft texture. The question is: are you ready to try Windows Phone?
Built for speed and Internet
1.4 GHz processor, 4G LTE, Bing, Internet Explorer 9, HTML5, Wi-Fi
Carl Zeiss optics, 8 MP main camera, dual LED flash, Auto Focus, 1 MP front camera, video calling
Battery
All day battery life, up to 7 hours talk time
Social
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, Chat, SMS
Nokia Lumia 900 review
Nokia's Lumia 900 mostly delivers on the promise of Windows Phone as a viable third mobile platform.
We've written much about the Nokia Lumia 900, and virtually all of it praises the hardware. With good reason: Nokia has outdone itself with this stylish 5.03-inch tall and 2.7-inch wide slab. At only 5.6 ounces and 0.45 inches thick, it's one of the best-looking smartphones we've ever seen.
The Lumia 900 features a classy, unibody frame made from polycarbonate. It's tough and feels absolutely wonderful when held in your hand; Nokia's industrial design work has clearly not been dulled by age. ClearBlack technology allows the screen to be used outdoors (even with polarized sunglasses at any angle), while Corning Gorilla Glass protects a vivid AMOLED display.
The front of the Lumia 900 is primarily a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. While this can be a sticking point with many critics in the age of qHDs and Retina Display, the screen is bright, colorful and pixel dense enough for all but the most discerning users.
A 1MP front-facing camera for video chat sits at upper left, while a very thin gap at top hides the earpiece; three capacitive Windows Phone buttons sit below the display for Back, Start and Search.
We've written much about the Nokia Lumia 900, and virtually all of it praises the hardware. With good reason: Nokia has outdone itself with this stylish 5.03-inch tall and 2.7-inch wide slab. At only 5.6 ounces and 0.45 inches thick, it's one of the best-looking smartphones we've ever seen.
The left side is devoid of buttons, all of which reside on the right, with volume rocker at top, power/lock button at center and two-stage dedicated camera button below.
At first this arrangement seemed a strange choice, but when held with the left hand, our middle finger was conveniently aligned with the power/lock button, and our thumb could still reach it comfortably while held in the right hand.
The Nokia Lumia 900 review is a beautifully designed device, and it's the most excited I've been about a mobile device launch since the HTC EVO 4G in 2010.
To date, most Windows Phones have been relatively boring, toned-down "sibling" versions of other devices; a testament to the fact that Android-heavy OEMs don't see a lot of return on investment yet. But Nokia's different. The Finnish manufacturer has staked their reputation on Windows Phone, and given the state of the company over the past few years, it's a very pricey gamble.
For Nokia, the Lumia 900 is a comeback story. Unlike other OEMs that release phones just to please the product cycle, this is Nokia's chance in the US market, and they're well-aware of this. Shortly after launch, the company identified an issue with the LTE data connectivity (more on that later). Instead of sweeping the issue under the rug (cue "you're holding it wrong" references), Nokia offered $100 AT&T bill credits to every consumer that purchased the device - essentially making the Lumia 900 free. It's this kind of aggressive response that proves that Nokia's in it for the long haul.
The Nokia Lumia 900 packs a 1.4 GHz single-core processor, 4.3-inch AMOLED display with Nokia's ClearBlack technology, an 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording and a Carl Zeiss lens, and 4G LTE connectivity on AT&T in a package that retails for a jaw-dropping $99.99 with a two-year agreement. Can the Lumia 900 help Nokia rebuild their reputation in the United States?
Keyboard (excellent): I’ve said it in pretty much all my smartphone reviews: the Windows Phone 7 keyboard is the best in terms of responsiveness and ability to predict which key you’re trying to hit with your fingers. If you have never tried it, I suggest you do – some call it “voodoo”. The Nokia Lumia 900 takes this to the next-level because the display is bigger. Typing is a real pleasure, and I would rather do email with the Lumia 900 than any other device – including the Samsung Galaxy Galaxy Note, only because the Note is slightly “laggy”. Despite the lack of voice dictation, I’m giving an “excellent” rating to the keyboard. If you’re a text-person, take note.
Context
We all use smartphones differently, so it’s important that I tell you what I do with my smartphone: I typically check my email often with the built-in email app (via Microsoft Exchange), and I reply moderately because the virtual keyboard is slow, even on large displays. I browse the web several times a day to check on news sites, but I rarely watch movies or play music. I don’t call much – maybe 10mn a day, if at all.
On the “apps” side, I have a couple of social networks, a receipts manager, but I rarely play games or do something super-intensive. This usage pattern will affect battery life and the perception of what features are useful.
It's the other One. While HTC's One X and One S jostle over which has the more potent processor, and customers weigh
high-definition screens against high-science coatings, the One V has
held back. Quite rightly, as this phone has no delusions of flagship
grandeur. Negri Electronics has lent us an off-gray HTC One V to try
out, although it will also be available in a black finish.
With a nod to
HTC's design past, a now relatively modest 3.7-inch screen and a ho-hum
single-core 1GHz processor, the phone's looking to capture first-time
smartphone buyers, along with anyone looking for a reasonably priced
upgrade. For the money -- around $346 (£229) -- they'll get the latest
version of Android topped by a slightly tweaked version of HTC's Sense 4
skin. Is this the new benchmark for entry-level smart phones? Can a
such a weedy processor handle Android 4.0? And what's with that chin?
We'll answer all those questions and more after the break.
Hardware
A re-imagined HTC Legend
for the new smartphone world. That's probably the best way to describe
it. The reassuringly solid aluminum unibody has returned and, given the
3.7-inch screen, you should almost certainly be able to handle the One V
with ease. The anodized shell is tightly beveled -- almost to the point
of being too sharp-- while the screen is raised slightly above the rest
of the construction (a relief, then, that there's a layer of Gorilla
Glass shielding it). In day-to-day use, we found the phone resilient to
scratches on both the front and back sides -- possibly more so than the
acclaimed micro-arc oxidized coating on the One S.
This slightly raised surface includes a trio of capacitive controls,
including the ICS-friendly multitask button at the bottom right. The
speaker grille is the only feature that disrupts the flat front --
presumably due to cost constraints, it isn't an integral part of the
body like the machined speakers found on the One X and S. A front-facing
camera is also conspicuously absent and we assume this was another
cost-cutting measure. The frame is just 9.4mm (.36 inches) thick, and
remains uniform through the phone's curved base. Yes, the chin is back
and it'll be as divisive as ever. Unlike the Legend, it's a largely
blank addition to the phone -- there's no optical trackpad this time,
and all the buttons have migrated to other parts of the handset. It
keeps the rest of the body flat while bringing the mic closer to your
mouth. The rear, made in part from soft plastic, covers slots for the
microSD and SIM (not micro-SIM) slots.
Removable storage is a necessity, not a choice on the One V, which
arrives with under 1GB of useable space. To put that in perspective,
you'll need a microSD card to use even the likes of Spotify and
Instagram. The contoured sides are interrupted only by the volume rocker
and non-MHL micro-USB port, hewing to the simple aesthetic marking the
rest of the One series. Up top, you'll find the notification light
alongside the headphone socket, with the power button also sitting along
that top edge. The 5-megapixel camera and LED flash are both housed in a
soft grey plastic panel similar to the removable cap at the base.
Admittedly, the whole design may appear pretty safe compared to HTC's
recent forays, but it still registers as playful. We kept rocking the
phone upwards onto that chin, and we dare say it's even a bit adorable.
Display
The
One V squeezes 800 x480 resolution into a 3.7-inch screen, and it's
another Super LCD 2 panel, like the One X. And though it lacks
high-definition credentials, with a screen density of 252 ppi it's not
embarrassingly grainy. Viewing angles are also impressive, and it fares
respectably outdoors. More importantly, though, it embarrasses existing
entry-level phones -- a group where quality screen technology has often
(if not always) been sacrificed. Sure, it doesn't stand up to the
expansive likes of the One X or Galaxy S II, but color composition is excellent (better than the One S, even) and 3.7 inches isn't that small. At least, not for a lot of people.
We noticed, however, on our two review samples that there was some
worrying yellow discoloration on both screens in the top left corner and
was especially noticeable when on full brightness white.
Camera
You're not going to get HTC's state-of-the-art imaging technology here
-- a 5-megapixel sensor is a notable drop from the 8-megapixel shooter
found on the rest of the One series. HTC's ImageChip
is on board -- but the difference in performance is presumably due to
that gap in processing power. The app still steers like the rest of the
series, however, with the same stripped-down interface. The HDR mode,
simultaneous video and still capture and faux-tilt shift have all made
the transition to this humble handset, although burst capture and speedy
shot-to-shot times have disappeared along with that dedicated camera
chip.
Compared to samples taken with the One S colors weren't
as vivid, and while HTC's second-in-command had a tendency to over-do it
on the contrast, the One V's results were still slightly drab.
Fortunately, the f/2.0 lens is still in tow, which means low-light
performance was predictably strong. The sensor often struggles with
adjusting to sudden light changes, but it gets there in the end --
something that would be less forgivable on video capture. The One V can record video in up to 720p resolution, and also comes with
the same slow-motion option found on other recent HTC models. Light
performance is good, and HTC kept both auto-focus and touch-to-focus on
the camera -- something that might well slot it above many high-end
models capable of recording full 1080p video but lacking these focus
controls.
Software
Android
4.0 on an entry-level device. HTC's drawn a line in the sand, and it's
something that other manufacturers would do well to copy. Even better,
the single-core processor seems largely up to the task. Because of the
power differences there have been some sacrifices -- and these have
mostly come in the form of a watered-down Sense 4 skin. You'll find that
while it looks similar, certain visual flourishes such as the
full-screen weather animations and globe view within the weather widget
have been cast out.
Pinching to view all your home screens at
once doesn't have any effect and the 3D transitions between screens are
gone too. The keyboard has also been tweaked, losing the navigational
arrows found on HTC's larger 2012 phones -- a sensible choice, we say,
given the reduced screen size. We've already done an in-depth take
on HTC's latest Android skin, but the differences between the One V and
the rest of the One series are worth noting. Minor touches, like the
ability to "zoom" on text within SMS messages, are still here, while
menu and settings navigation is also indistinguishable from other phones
running Sense 4. However, the One V isn't compatible with the HTC's
Media Link HD dongle and -- like the One S -- misses out on the NFC
train, both hardware- and software-wise. Something we didn't catch while
poring over the One V's spec sheet when it was first announced is that
there's also no digital compass, meaning Google Maps' orientation won't
change as you turn to face a different direction.
Wrap-up
The
One V is the third and final piece of HTC's game plan: a stylish,
petite, entry-level model that will hopefully draw in anyone looking for
a new phone running Android's latest. Indeed, it's a capable phone on
par with several once high-end single-core devices from last year. Even
better, this one is cheaper and arrives with Android 4.0, in all its multitasking, adjustable widget glory. It's also a phone that's visibly
HTC and exudes as much character as the-lovely One S and One X -- a
boon, given the sheer number of Android phones floating around these
days.
Our main complaint here isn't the camera, nor the build
quality, nor the screen (aside from the discoloration); it's the
processor. A little bit more horsepower would have really helped the One
V stand out as the go-to low-price Android phone. Aside from
that, the One V is a compelling proposition for anyone hunting for their
first smartphone, or who knocked on the Android party door a little
early (still packing that original HTC Legend?). Sure, with a bit more
cash you can get the Galaxy S II, with its bigger screen and more potent
processor, but are you willing to wait around (like many people still
are) for that software upgrade? Here, there will be no update hassles;
just Ice Cream Sandwich with a newcomer-friendly Sense skin and a
tempting sub-$350 price tag. And a chin. Don't forget the chin.\ read
After the huge success of the S2, Samsung is almost ready for the Samsung Galaxy S3 release, the third Galaxy Series smartphones on the first half of next year.
While the iPhone 5 looks set to be launched pretty soon, it seems it won’t be alone this fall with Samsung Galaxy S3 to join it this fall.
J.K. Shin, president of Samsung’s mobile communications division has confirmed the release of a follow-up to this year’s Samsung Galaxy S2 in 2012. The device would be the Samsung Galaxy S3, most probably featuring Google’s Android Ice Cream Sandwich, its new OS. According to Shin the 4G transition in the Galaxy S3 is inevitably important as it requires faster download speeds than smartphones to handle bigger volume content which is another big thing Samsung is working on for its products.
Going with the specifications it’s expected to obviously be an upgrade of the Galaxy S2 with 12 MP Camera, quad-core processor, a super-bright AMOLED 3D screen with NFC. It would also be the first phone featuring the Ice Cream Sandwich. The screen size would be around 4.5″ beating the LG Optimus 3D and also offering 4G connectivity support. Lets wait and watch the actual Samsung Galaxy S3 launch date before considering whether its worth upgrading your current phone or not. Read more on Samsung Galaxy S3 Specifications, Features, and Price.
A concept design of the Galaxy S3 drafted by a creative design company based in Ukrainian shows how similar it is to the Galaxy S2 though with a larger edge to edge 4.5″ screen along with Android 2.3/4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. Moreover, the home button has been replaced with a Samsung logo and slimmed down to make room for the larger screen. The real design though may be a little different with a large touchscreen and a more powerful effective processor.
The Galaxy SII came out as a competition to the iPhone 4, Now it has been predicted that the Samsung Galaxy S3 release along with Apple’s iPhone 5 will be a tough competition. Especially if the Galaxy S3 will really “have the data processing capacities of a regular PC”, then the iPhone 5 is sure to meet a genuine rival.
The success of the Samsung Galaxy S3 depends totally on its capability to attach the users in large numbers. The people are waiting with bated breaths for this amazing gadget, expecting that its amazing features to provide them ultimate experience and lifetime satisfaction.
Sure, the US has already had its chance at Nokia's Windows-packing smartphone, but UK-based fans of the Lumia 900 won't have to wait too much longer, if the release date on Phones 4u's site is to be believed. The retailer currently has the handset's delivery date listed as April 27th -- a date that includes that white variant we've been seeing pop up from time to time. Also, in spite of some false starts, Carphone Warehouse also has the Metroed handset listed, though its date is the far broader "May 2012." We're sure Kourtney Kardashian is lining up her tickets as we speak. read
It was once said that if a phone or tablet used a stylus its hardware designers had blown it. It was also said that if the software on that device contained a task manager that coders had similarly missed the mark. The Samsung Galaxy Note on AT&T contains what many would consider a stylus and, if you hold down the Home button, you're presented with what can only be described as a task manager.
So the Galaxy Note, Samsung's massive 5.3-inch "superphone," is critically flawed then, right? No. It is, in fact, one of the best phones to hit the market since another Samsung powerhouse -- the Galaxy Nexus. It's a device with a lot to love and is the kind of phone that would make almost every Android aficionado swoon. However, with its massive 5.3-inch display and generally understated styling, it isn't for everybody. We reviewed it before in European guise, but now read on to see if AT&T's $300 LTE version of this big brute is just right for you.
Hardware
Let's get this out there right away because it will surely be your first impression: the Galaxy Note is a big honkin' phone. While something this size that can make phone calls isn't exactly unprecedented (see: the Dell Streak 5), this is a footprint that has proven too large to fit into many consumers' lifestyles. That could definitely change here. What initially feels cumbersome and unwieldy quickly becomes natural and, just like 4.3-inch smartphones made 3.5-inchers seem petite, a few hours with the Note will leave those 4-inch devices seeming rather more compact than before.
That size is thanks to the 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED panel up front, with a 1280 x 800 pixel count. We'll talk more about that shortly, but we can't resist spoiling ourselves by saying it's one of the nicest displays we've yet seen on a smartphone -- even if the dimensions here extend well beyond what's considered average. What's truly new is on the inside, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. That's a step up in clock speed from the 1.4GHz Exynos processor in the original Note, but as we'll see in the performance section below, the speed of the device has not been similarly up-rated. (There we go spoiling things again...)
That processor is paired with 1GB of RAM for short-term duties and 16GB of storage for archival purposes, though there is an empty microSD slot waiting should you need a little more room ahead of the fifth season of Mad Men. It offers 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0+ HS support and, for longer-range data communication, supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz), UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ (850, 1900, 2100MHz) and, of course, LTE (bands 4 and 17, if you're keeping track).
The dimensions provided for the Note are the same as the international release -- 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm (5.78 x 3.27 x 0.38 inches) -- so any fears that the new silicon inside might have resulted in even more to love on the outside can be safely put to rest now. It is, however, just a tick heavier, tipping over at 183 grams (6.45 ounces) compared to its predecessor's 178. Perhaps it indulged in an extra bag of peanuts on the long flight over.
The camera array hasn't changed: 8-megapixel sensor paired with an LED flash around the back, capable of capturing 1080p/30 fps footage, while a 2-megapixel shooter is peeking out at you from the somewhat generous bezel above the display on the front -- right next to the mirrored AT&T logo that now comes duly attached.
On the bottom of the screen are the typical four capacitive buttons found on American Android devices -- Menu, Home, Back and Search. This marks a change from the international release, which had a single physical Home button flanked by Menu on the left and Back on the right. We prefer that layout to the capacitive arrangement we get here, but sadly it seems the carriers prefer the button-free look. Those capacitive inputs light up with the screen, which on the dark Carbon Blue Note makes them much easier to see. In direct light, though, the backlight on the Ceramic White Note actually makes the buttons harder to spot. Plus, with that hue there's an annoying glow around them where the backlight leaks through.
S Pen
Even if it gives you flashbacks to your Windows Mobile days we encourage you to remember that this is not a stylus
Though it may look like a stylus, and despite feeling like a stylus, and even if it gives you flashbacks to your Windows Mobile days we encourage you to remember that this is not a stylus. At least, it isn't if you listen to the Samsung party line. This is an S Pen.
What's an S Pen, then? Well, it's a battery-free capacitive and pressure-sensitive plastic pointing stick that's built upon Wacom technology. Basically, it's a stylus. Yes, it's smaller than the wand you get with something like a Bamboo tablet, but the styling is at least reminiscent of the bigger ones. New on the US version of the S Pen is a gray button, which is slightly easier to find than the all-black version shipped internationally, but still almost impossible to locate by feel. The slightest little ridge or bump on the button would have been a welcome addition. (Those who spring for the white Note will, naturally, get a white S Pen with a gray button.)
You can hold the button and do a long press on the screen to capture a screenshot, do two taps to bring up the S Memo application to make a note. You can also use it to perform gestures to replicate the Android buttons -- hold and swipe up for Menu, down for Home and left for Back. You'll be doing this a lot because the stylus annoyingly can't be used on the capacitive buttons at the bottom of the display. Prod or poke at them with the thing all you like, they won't respond.
Thankfully, the S Pen works with just about everything else. It can be used to just mimic finger taps on the screen with greater precision, which we found most enjoyable for gaming. Titles like Fruit Ninja were a little more fun with a real weapon to wield, while physics-based games like World of Goo were that much easier.
Annoyingly, though, actually writing with the thing is a challenge. Ostensibly, this phone was designed to replace something like a Moleskine notebook that many journalists stuff in their back pockets, but writing legibly with the S Pen is a difficult proposition. You must write far larger than you would with a pen on paper, so what might have been a few lines of notes can take a few pages of an S Memo. Of course, with 16GB of storage you can have as many pages as you like, but collating them later proves a bit of a challenge.\
Display
If this phone is too big it's only for the sake of making room for that display. It is, again, an HD Super AMOLED panel measuring 5.3 inches diagonally and sporting a resolution of 1280 x 800. Now, phone displays with 720p or greater resolutions aren't exactly unheard of these days (hello, Galaxy Nexus), and the 284ppi pixel density here won't set any records either (hello, iPhone 4S), but when it comes to the quality of a display you can't just look at numbers.
This is a non-Plus display, meaning it uses RGBG sub-pixels. This PenTile arrangement was the subject of many lamentations when the Galaxy Nexus was announced, that presence of extra green sub-pixels causing some display purists to lose sleep, but we didn't find much to complain about here. Yes, we would certainly prefer a Plus display, and the color reproduction would surely be better if it were, but what's actually in the phone is beautiful.
Because it's an AMOLED display the contrast is phenomenal -- true blacks and searingly bright whites. Viewing angles are very good, though we did notice a strong shift to blue at particularly extreme angles. And curiously, Samsung (or AT&T) opted to not include the "Screen mode" option found on the international Note that lets you select from three color settings on the display. So, you're stuck with the default.
Call quality and speakerphone
Unless you've been blessed with a particularly large cranium the Note is going to look a little... large held up to an ear.
While we quickly got comfortable holding the 5.3-inch Note in our hands, even after living with one for some time we couldn't help feeling self-conscious holding it up to our head to make calls. Unless you've been blessed with a particularly large cranium the Note is going to look a little... large held up to an ear.
That said, should you need to make a call here, the Note is a very willing partner. Quality is good and, with the phone never struggling for signal, we came through loud and clear to those on the other side of the device. Even on speakerphone we were heard without a problem, though we do have one complaint: the speaker's location. It's less than a half-inch away from the S Pen's little cubby and we constantly found grabbing at the opening for the speaker with our fingernail when trying to pull out the stylus. We'd have preferred one or the other placed on the opposite side.
Camera
This is the same 8-megapixel sensor and lens getup that we saw back in our original Note review, and indeed the same as can be found in the Galaxy S II. Left on full-auto the camera does a good job of adjusting for color and brightness. As phone-sized camera sensors go this one fares well even when light is at a premium and will not leave you disappointed in most situations.
That said, the experience is even better here thanks to the bigger screen. What you get is basically the world's biggest viewfinder this side of a tablet, making framingand eyeball adjustments for exposure easy. Yes, we've said our piece about how taking pictures with tablets is more of a chore than a joy, but the Note is just small enough to be manageable.
Software
The Galaxy Note is running a TouchWiz'd version of Android Gingerbread -- 2.3.6, to be precise. As Android customizations go TouchWiz is among the lightest, and we didn't find ourselves minding it. In fact, the camera app here and the custom widgets and controls tend to make the phone a little nicer to use. We had no complaints there.
However, the extra resolution and dimensions of the screen aren't always well-handled. When it's good it's good, like the home screen, which offers five columns of icons rather than the standard four. More icons is a plus when your phone is stuffed with apps, as most phones are these days. And, of course, mobile web surfing with this many pixels at your disposal will put you right off WVGA phones for good.
The Gingerbread build here just doesn't feel comfortable -- stretched out in some places, squished down in others.
Many apps, though, simply don't handle the resolution well. Signing in to Netflix, for example, gives you a giant sea of crimson with two tiny login boxes floating in space. Buttons in some apps, like the reply button in Gmail, are awfully tiny compared to other controls, like the comparatively giant Archive and Delete buttons at the bottom of the screen.
This mish-mash of large and small graphical elements is hugely disjointing. The Gingerbread build here just doesn't feel comfortable -- stretched out in some places, squished down in others. It clearly wasn't meant to run on a display this size. This leaves us longing for that Ice Cream Sandwich build that we're told is coming soon.
S Memo
The biggest piece of custom software here is S Memo. Hold the S Pen button and double-tap anywhere to create a new memo, or do a long single tap to capture a screenshot which you can doodle on. We could definitely see this being useful for grabbing a picture of something and then scribbling a note and sending it off to a co-worker -- say, making a comment on a home renovation or the design of a wedding dress. But, given how much trouble we had in writing legibly with the S Pen, best keep it short.
You can also hop into S Memo directly and create things like picture collages. Images can be inserted from the Gallery or taken directly from the camera, moved and resized and then, of course, scribbled upon. However, it's worth noting that once you save and exit your note all those layers are compressed -- you can no longer resize individual images. That's slightly annoying, but they are at least easily shared as flat image files.
We were, however, disappointed to find that the app doesn't really do much with the stylus button. We could see it working as a quick toggle to switch between drawing and erasing, for example, which would save going back up to the top menu all the time. As it is the button is really only good for initiating gestures.
Performance and battery life
We were a bit concerned when we learned that the AT&T Galaxy Note would not be rolling with Samsung's own 1.4GHz Exynos processor and would instead have a 1.5GHz Snapdragon chip inside. The clock speed may be higher but the performance is indeed lower. You can see the full results in the benchmarks table below, proving this phone measurably lags behind the international release that shipped first, too.
Apps load quickly and things are generally responsive on the device, but the annoying stutters and random pauses that plague lesser phones are definitely noticeable here. It is still a quick device, though not nearly as responsive as the Galaxy Nexus or, indeed, the elder Note.
AT&T Galaxy Note
International Galaxy Note
Galaxy Tab 10.1
Quadrant
3,319
3,998
3,200
Linpack (single-thread)
42.98
64.30
55
Linpack (multi-thread)
76.33
95.66
81
Nenamark1
54.9
56.67
59.8
Neocore
55.6
51.77
59.8
SunSpider 9.1
3,059
2,902
3,369
Sadly that decrease in performance doesn't come with an increase in battery life. A healthy 2,500mAh cell lies beneath the flimsy (and scratch-prone) battery cover here, far larger than your typical smartphone. (The most recent Galaxy S II, for example, has an 1,850mAh pack.) But, longevity just fell on the long side of average, with the phone managing eight hours and eight minutes on our standard rundown test in an HSPA+ area. That's with LTE enabled but not connected, as there's annoyingly no way of disabling it. (Even dialing *#*#4636#*#* doesn't work.) The previous Note managed a healthy 90 minutes longer.
However, we can't argue with the network performance. AT&T's LTE network is still blissfully underutilized by the teeming masses, leaving plenty of bandwidth for those lucky few early adopters. Testing in and around New York City we saw download speeds as high as 34Mbps and uploads as high as 14Mbps. Average speeds were closer to 22 down and 12 up -- very healthy indeed. Again, overall signal strength with the Note is good and we had no problem grabbing and maintaining a strong signal.
Wrap-up
We've already spent quite a bit of time with the international version of this phone, but what was once a bit of a niche device -- would-be owners facing hefty import duties and confused looks from friends -- has now gone mainstream, with the Super Bowl commercial to match. That kind of exposure will have a lot more people wondering if this kind of thing can work for them and for many we think the answer is yes, it could work quite well indeed.
The Note is big, but not unmanageably so. Those with small hands might find it a bit unwieldy at times, but even if your glover has you written down as XS you shouldn't rule this out completely. After a few hours with the Note you'll very quickly become accustomed to the size, and once you have you won't want to go back.
With the decrease in performance and battery life here, the international release is still the better phone overall, and we can't help but be disappointed by that. Still, given the relative affordability of the US release of the Note ($300 on-contract) and its ease of availability, we certainly wouldn't blame you for heading to AT&T and ordering yourself an American Superphone. It's one of the best phones of any size on the market today, regardless of what market you're in.
