Showing posts with label jelly bean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jelly bean. Show all posts

Wednesday 4 September 2013

One Touch Hero Unveiled

Alcatel's One Touch Scribe HD has been replaced with a newer sibling. The One Touch Hero.

The Android 4.2 smartphone upgrades to a 6-inch 1080p LCD screen, and gives a choice of optional cover accessories that enhance the pretty big display.

An E-Ink cover for example, lets owners read books without using the power-hungry main screen. There's also a wireless charging cover available and a MagicFlip cover for LED notifications. Even without those extra bits, the Hero is a hell of a lot more powerful than its Scribe HD predecessor. It carries a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, a sharper 13-megapixel rear camera, an improved 2-megapixel front shooter and either 8GB or 16GB of expandable storage.

For those interested, the One Touch Hero will be available in October in the "high-end" price band. According to stats, this wont be the best on the market as the galaxy S4 has a whopping 1.9Ghz processor but to get a truthful comparison we will have to wait till it comes out. However, it does look much nicer than the S4 and will probably gain sales because of that.

Monday 18 February 2013

Samsung Officially Sends Out Jelly Bean Update to Jelly Bean via Kies or OTA

Hello Everyone!

I was unable to post last week as I had been too busy, but here is a positive post for you to enjoy!

It's been a long time but Android 4.1.2 has finally arrived for the phone that began the whole ''half phone, half tablet'' malarky. The original  Samsung Galaxy Note. The Jelly Bean update brings a number of improvements to the first phablet, with a brand new Nature UX UI that will help it look and feel more like the sequel phone. It'll also get features such as Multi-Window, Page Buddy, Smart Rotation and the awesome Google Now.

The update will roll out in phases depending on your country or carrier and is available via Kies or OTA.

Any opinions on this article? Do you have any news suggestions? Please comment or contact me via the Facebook page, my Twitter page or the Google+ page

Don't worry, I will post about Blackberry 10 and PS4 rumours when I have time to do an in-depth post!

Saturday 9 February 2013

ASUS Released 7-inch MeMO Pad Last Month.

Hey Guys,

7-Inch tablets seem to be coming out all the time. After the Nexus, all of the tablet manufacturers have been jumping on the small, more convenient tablet trend.

Asus released a 7-Inch Tablet called the MeMO Pad last month. It's quite a reasonable little device for only £149. Anything special here? No. Apart from the very nice price.

It will feature a 7-inch (1024 x 600) display, 1GHz CPU, Mali-400 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 8 or 16GB of storage, microSD slot, 1MP front camera, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The only really bad thing, apart from the display, is that the battery only lasts for 7 hours.

Below is a trailer for the device and some specs if you are interested. Click here to visit the Official page.


  • Operating System
    AndroidTM 4.1
  • Display
    7" LED Backlight WSVGA (1024x600) Screen
  • CPU
    VIA WM8950
  • Memory
    1G
  • Storage
    8GB/16GB *1
    5GB Life Time ASUS Webstorage Space *2
  • Wireless Data Network
    WLAN 802.11 b/g/n@2.4GHz
  • Camera
    1 MP Front Camera
  • Audio
    Hi-Definition Audio CODEC
    High Quality Speaker
  • Interface
    1 x 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone / Mic-in)
    1 x micro USB
    1 x Micro SD Card Reader(SDHC)
  • Sensor
    G-sensor
  • Application
    ASUS launcher
    MyLibrary
    MyCloud
    asus webstorage
    File manager
    ASUS sync
    SuperNote Lite
    App Locker
    App Backup
  • Battery
    7 hours; 16Wh Li-polymer Battery *3
  • Color
    Sugar White/Titanium Gray/Cherry Pink
  • Dimensions
    196.2 x 119.2 x 11.2 mm
  • Weight
    358 g
  • Note
    *1: May vary by SKU and country.
    *2: Please visit www.asuswebstorage.com for more details.
    *3: Battery life tested under power saving mode, playing 720p video playback, Brightness:100nits, default volume with headphones.

Friday 21 December 2012

Ouya! to Arrive on Time

Hey Guys,

I'm in IT and I've got no work to do so I have time on here.

If you can remember, I wrote an article about the andorid based video games console, Ouya. The firm behind it have announced that it will be released on time! It should be out for the 28th! after Christmas but still awesome!!

The project started in July this year and has had a kickstarter page since then. The have successfully managed to raise $8,596,474 with 63,416 backers! Since the console is powered by Android, it will also run all the programs and applications a tablet or smartphone can, but even better. It already has its own line up of games!! The have also revealed it will run on JellyBean!!
The special thing about Ouya! is that it comes with a development kit to create your own games, also known as the ODK. They will also have a game hub set up where everyone who wants to share their games can do so on a massive comimunity.

Backers who threw in a pledge of more than $699 (£437) get access to the first-round of Ouya shipments so they can be first to have a play with the ODK. They also get an extra help advertising their games for a year, and a founder emblem to mark their game!

I am looking forward to this is it will only cost about £60! To read my original post click here!

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Friday 7 December 2012

Archos GamePad: the Handheld Android Game Console

Hey Guys,

The Archos Gamepad, an the second android based console. And  ideal Christmas present for only £129.98

Unlike the Xperia Play, the Archos Gamepad is a tablet and has only just been released. So it would be unfair to compare the two.

The GamePad aims to bring classic control systems to modern mobile gaming rather than a touch screen. This bad boy has a 7-inch 1024 x 600 (169.55 PPI") five-point capacitive screen to work with its 16 physical buttons and dual analogue sticks. You can also get up to 9 hours of battery life, about average for a 7-inch tablet.

The Archos GamePad is as much a tablet as a gaming device. It runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) for tablets, it therefore includes all the improvements that came with the Jelly Bean update, including even smoother interface animations, voice assistant and Google Now that shows you the right information at the right time.

Since there will be a requirement for 3D games, a powerful graphics card and processor is necessary, the Archos GamePad uses a super-powerful quad-core Mali-400 MP4 GPU and a 1.6GHz Dual Core CPU. More than enough power for even the most graphically stunning 3D games and casual browsing.

Coming with 8GB of internal memory, the Archos GamePad can accept micro-SD cards of up to 64 GB. The ARCHOS GamePad also has a mini-HDMI port so you can plug it into your TV and enjoy your games up on the big screen. Sounds a bit like Wii U.

Strangely, the UK is the only place to be getting it at the moment. The United States will have to wait a year.

This is a much better alternative to the crappy iPad Mini, with the Android OS, the graphics, the gaming standards. Great! If you still want to find out more visit the Archos website or read the Tech Specs Below!

Tech Specs

Display• 7’’: 1024x600 capacitive 5 points multitouch screen
Application Framework• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Processor• ARM CORTEXTM dual-core A9 @ 1.6GHz
• GPU quad-core Mali 400 MP
• 3D OpenGL (ES 2.0)
Capacity• Flash Memory: 8GB* + microSD Slot (SDHC compatible up to 32GB)
RAM• 1GB RAM
Video playback1• H.264 HD (up to 1080p@30 fps)
• MPEG-42 HD (up to 1080p@30 fps)
• With the above codecs, the device can play video files with the following extensions: AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, MPG, PS, TS, MKV, FLV
Audio Playback1• MP3
• WAV (PCM/ADPCM)
• AAC3, AAC+ 5.13
• OGG Vorbis
• FLAC
Photo viewer4• JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF
Webcam• Front camera
Interfaces• USB 2.0: Mobile Transfer Protocol (MTP)
• microSD (SDHC compatible)
• mini HDMI output6(Mini HDMI / HDMI cable sold separately)
Wireless technologies• Wi-Fi
Miscellaneous• Built-in speaker
• G-sensor
• Built-in Microphone
Power source• Internal: Lithium Polymer battery
• External: Power adapter/charger
Dimensions & weight• 229.8 x 118.7mm x 15.4mm (9’’x 4.6’’x 0.6’’)
• 330g (11.6 oz)
Software update• Updates can be downloaded at www.archos.com
Minimum system requirements• Microsoft® Windows® 7, Vista, XP, or higher and Windows Media Player 11
• Mac OS. X with Transfer Files application (not included)
• Linux with android MTP tool (not included)
• USB 2.0 interface


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Friday 2 November 2012

Google Announces Nexus 10, Avaliable to Buy for the 13th!!

Hey Guys,

Earlier LG and Google made the Nexus 4 and now they made the Nexus 10. As expected, it’s made by Samsung and it will feature a 2560 x 1600 display with a crazy 300ppi (pixel density). It’s the highest resolution tablet out there. It will feature a battery that will give you 9 hours of playback time and 500 hours of standby time. It will sport Google’s latest update, Android 4.2 and front-facing speakers just like the Galaxy Note 10.1. It will be the first truly sharable tablet with support for multiple users that you can easily switch from the lockscreen. This means, when someone I know often uses the tablet, they won't have to log out of everything. Genious.

The Nexus 10 will be available for £319 for the 16GB version and £389 for 32GB starting on November 13 in the Google Play Store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan. So I'm guessing it won't be a budget device :p

There is a promotional vid below for all three tablet sizes, the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. With the specs below...

The Specs are below:

Tech Specs

SCREEN
10.055" diagonal at 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution for 300 ppi
WQXGA
Corning(R) Gorilla(R) Glass 2
CPU/GPU
CPU: Dual-core A15
GPU: Mali T604
SIZE
263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9 mm
WEIGHT
603g
CAMERAS
5 MP (main)
1.9 MP (front)
WIRELESS
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n (MIMO+HT40)
Bluetooth
NFC (Android Beam)
MEMORY
32 GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less)
2 GB RAM
CONNECTIVITY
Micro USB
Magnetic Pogo pin charger
Micro HDMI
3.5mm headphone jack
BATTERY
9000 mAh Lithium polymer
OS
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
SENSORS
Microphone
Accelerometer
Compass
Ambient light
Gyroscope
Barometer
GPS

Google Reveals the Nexus 4 Avaliable for the 13th

Hey Guys!

Google has officially revealed the highly anticipated LG Nexus 4 over on the Play Store, boasting wireless charging capabilities and the latest version of Android Jelly Bean (version 4.2). Before you get confused, I would like to point out that it is a phone and not a tablet!

It will be sold as an 8GB version for £239 and a 16GB version for £279 on November 13 from the offical Play Store. It will be unlocked and without a contract, with first availability for customers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.

The Nexus 4, along with the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, will all run Android version 4.2. It includes a new “Photo Sphere” feature, which allows users to capture images that the company says “are literally larger than life”. It essentially means that users can stitch photographs not only from left to right for panoramic images, but up and down too to create stunning 360-degree images. Google says any “Photo Sphere” can then be uploaded to Google+ or added to Google Maps. (Sounds a bit Appleish). It will also have Google Now!

There is a promotional vid below for all new three tablet sizes, the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. With the specs below that



The Specs are below...

Tech Specs

SCREEN
4.7" diagonal
1280 x 768 pixel resolution (320 ppi)
WXGA IPS
Corning(R) Gorilla(R) Glass 2
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon(TM) S4 Pro
SIZE
133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm
WEIGHT
139g
CAMERAS
8 MP (main)
1.3 MP (front)
NETWORK
Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+
GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
HSPA+ 42
MEMORY
8 GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less)
2 GB RAM
CONNECTIVITY
Micro USB
SlimPort HDMI
3.5mm headphone jack
WIRELESS
Wireless charging
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
NFC (Android Beam)
Bluetooth
BATTERY
2,100 mAh Lithium polymer
OS
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
SENSORS
Microphone
Accelerometer
Compass
Ambient light
Gyroscope
Barometer
GPS

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Thursday 25 October 2012

Google Now! (This isn't something new)

Hey Guys,

This isn't really news since this is quite old but I only noticed it's existence today. Google Now is something included with Android Jelly Bean, it is a quick way of finding out necessary information from the weather to sport or finding a restaurant. These different uses are called "cards". There are only 10 cards avaliable at the moment but they will add more soon enough.

Here is a video made be Google which is a simple explanation:

It's a bit like Siri

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Samsung Confirms Jelly Bean Update for Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1 Before End of Year

Hey Guys,

Samsung Sweden has announced a bunch of Jelly Bean updates, for a range of devices: the Galaxy S2, Galaxy Note (original) and Galaxy Note 10.1. According to the official statement, all three devices are due to receive the upgrade to Android 4.1 before the end of the year.

The S2 will see the update in November, while the Note and Note 10.1 are both slated to get the firmware upgrade at some point in Winter, (the website said Q4, but im not sure what that means.) All updates will be available OTA via the Samsung’s  Kies app. Of course, this announcement applies only to Sweden-specific devices but it is almost certain that after this it will be released in the UK or the US.

Just incase you are unsure what the update will bring, Jelly Bean with give you:
- Better performance, thanks to Project Butter it’s even smoother and faster
- Reorganized settings menu
- 2 Home screen modes
- New Notifications bar
- Google Now
- Sizable Pop-up play screen

Source: SamMobile

Monday 6 August 2012

Galaxy Note 2 Confirmed for August 29th

Hey Guys,

Samsung has confirmed that it will be unveiling the next Galaxy Note later this month. The successor to the Galaxy Note will be unveiled at the Samsung event in Berlin, Germany on August 29th. The confirmation follows past rumours surrounding the device, said to have an even larger screen than its 5.3-inch predecessor. Now it’s official. 


Samsung has yet to confirm anything else about the new Galaxy Note. Rumours suggest that it will have a larger 5.5-inch screen, 12-megapixel camera, a faster quad-core processor, and the latest Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean” operating system.


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Sunday 8 July 2012

Full Android History!

Hey Guys,


Since Jelly Bean was confirmed I have decided to create a full list of the android history just to show the technological Evolution of our lovely green robots. Enjoy!!


Android 1.0 and 1.1


Android was born in 2008 on the fuck ugly but nevertheless powerful and fun T-Mobile G1. Made by HTC and sold by T-Mobile, this early version of Android was full of potential, but we deemed it best suited to early adopters and gadget hounds.

Although the G1 couldn't beat the iPhone in when it came to style but it offers most of the major Android features that we've come to know and love. Like the awesome notification bar.



What you get:
  • The Android Market served up apps without the stringent entry rules of the Apple App Store, leading to a vibrant selection of apps, ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
  • The Android browser made surfing the Web on your phone a pleasure rather than a pain, thanks to the ability to render pages quickly and accurately.
  • Google Maps used the phone's GPS and Wi-Fi to pinpoint your location on an infinite map, so you need never be lost again.
  • Syncing with our contacts, email and calendar online initially made us wary of sharing all our data with Google, but our privacy concerns were soon vanquished by the sheer convenience of accessing everything, from anywhere.
Android 1.5 Cupcake

The dessert themed code-names started with Cupcake, the first major update to Android, which dropped in May 2009. Cupcake was packed with new features, but perhaps the most significant was the virtual keyboard, which paved the way for buttonless blowers such as the HTC Magic.
What you get:
  • Shortcuts and widgets on the home screen meant our mobiles could now be obsessively tweaked and personalised.
  • An on-screen keyboard meant tapping virtually could replace typing on the real thing, making phones lighter and leaner.
  • Video recording was added to the camera, and the ability to upload videos straight to YouTube
  • Stereo Bluetooth
  • The Web browser gets a speed boost and the copy and paste function.

Android 1.6 Donut

In October 2009, we got Donut. It offered fewer major improvements, now that most of the key features were in place. But it brought Android to a new crowd, thanks to the addition of support for CDMA -- the technology used by some American mobile networks.

What you get:
  • The universal search function helped us pinpoint our apps and contacts on the phone, or jump to searching the Web.
  • Support for more screen resolutions opened the door to Android phones of different sizes.
  • Google Maps Navigation added free turn-by-turn sat-nav and an alternative to the stand alone Sat-Navs


Android 2.0 and 2.1 Eclair


We didn't have to wait long before Android 2.0 arrived, 1 month after Donut! in November 2009. Eclair reached out to the suits with support for Microsoft Exchange server, which most businesses use for email.

Android 2.1 Eclair arrived in January 2010. It fixed some bugs and let app developers play with more features, but it didn't add any features for users.


What you get:
  • Exchange support, so you can finally get your Outlook email. There's also a unified email inbox. However, it's still kept with POP and IMAP email in a separate app to Gmail.
  • Support for multiple Google accounts lets you stock up on all your Gmail.
  • Camera settings including support for a flash, digital zoom, white balance and colour effects.
  • Searching within text messages and MMS messages.
  • Multi-touch support in the on-screen keyboard helps it figure out what you're trying to say if you accidentally type two letters at once. The dictionary incorporates your contacts so you get people's names right, too.
  • The Web brower gets a refresh with a new address bar and thumbnails for a sneak peek at your bookmarks.
  • Kian gets a phone!!


Android 2.2 Froyo

Arriving in May 2010, Froyo spiced up the little green robot again. It introduced Flash, which has become one of the defining differences between Android and its main competitor, the iPhone.

What you get:
  • Flash Player 10.1 came to Android, which filled in the holes in the Web. Videos, photo slideshows and streaming audio, not to mention plain old site navigation, suddenly became visible on your mobile.
  • Your settings joined your contacts and email in backing up to Google's servers, so theoretically they should be automatically restored if you switch to a new Android phone.
  • Yet more features for connecting to your Microsoft Exchange account, including access to your Outlook address book and the ability for your IT department to remotely wipe your phone.
  • If your phone has a flash, it can be used to light up your videos, too.
  • The portable Wi-Fi hotspot lets you share your phone's 3G Internet connection with your other gadgets, over Wi-Fi.
  • Speedier Web surfing thanks to changes to the browser.
  • Better Bluetooth compatibility with docks and in-car speakers, and the addition of voice dialling over Bluetooth.
  • Kian gets pissed off because his phone doesn't get updated


Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Gingerbread was cooked up in December 2010, but its main features didn't make much of a splash. NFC, for contactless payment, and SIP, for Internet calling, both lay the foundations for future developments, and aren't much fun at the moment.
Android 2.3.3 took some time, but when it did arrive on phones in April 2011, it only added one new feature, the ability for single-core phones to run apps designed for dual-core processors. Android 2.3.4 added yet more bug fixes.
What you get:
  • User interface elements, such as the notification bar, go from grey to black, in a bid to avoid screen burn-in and increase battery life.
  • The on-screen keyboard gains number shortcuts across the top, and a cursor helps to select and copy text.
  • NFC theoretically lets you wave your phone in front of an NFC-enabled emitter to make things happen, whether it's buy a train ticket or check out a website. But, until more NFC systems are in place in the UK, this perk of Gingerbread won't affect us much. 
  • Apps are juggled more adeptly in the background, saving battery and processing power.
  • Support for a front-facing camera for video calling and your emo self-portrait.
  • A download manager so you can keep your eye on everything you've downloaded.
  • Kian is even more pissed off because Sony Ericsson make a new Mini Pro with Gingerbread and Kian's X10 Mini Pro gets left behind.

Android 3.0 and 3.1 Honeycomb

Honeycomb expanded Android to fit the big screens of tablet computers. This version of Android is a separate branch that's only for tablets, and will never come to phones.

Android 3.1 was announced in May 2011, and adds a peck of user interface refinements to Honeycomb. We haven't tested this version yet, but Google writes that the tweaks will make "UI elements easier to see, understand and use". Widgets will also gain the ability to be dragged bigger or smaller, to suit your screen. Android 3.1 also adds support for plugging USB flash drives into your tablet to transfer files without connecting to a computer, as well as USB keyboards, mice and joysticks.


What you get:
  • A blue wireframe design gives Honeycomb a Tron-inspired look.
  • Home screens appear to rotate on a 3D carousel as you swipe through them.
  • Widgets are bigger and bolder to suit the tablet-size screen.
  • The hardware buttons -- home and back -- have been moved on to the screen as virtual buttons that move with you as you rotate your tablet. Meanwhile, the app menu is repositioned to the upper right-hand corner. There's also a new button that fires up a list of currently running apps, visible as thumbnail images.
  • Key apps, such as Gmail and YouTube, are heavily redesigned to take advantage of the space available.
  • The Web browser introduces tabbed browsing, a feature familiar from desktop browsers such as Chrome. There's also an incognito mode to browse on the quiet.
  • A larger, multi-touch keyboard lets you hold down multiple keys to temporarily switch between letters and numbers, for example.


Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich


Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) was announced at the Google I/O conference in May 2011. We had to wait until the Samsung Galaxy Nexus landed in our laps in December before we could see it first-hand. ICS was designed to merge Gingerbread -- Android for phones -- together with Honeycomb, which was designed for tablets.

What you get: 
  • A speedier, smoother browser
  • A data traffic monitor to help you avoid busting your network data limit.
  • More storage space for apps.
  • A new user-friendly action bar replacing the Menu button.
  • Face recognition for unlocking your phone.
  • The ability to decline calls with pre-penned text messages.
  • And most fun of all, live video effects for making your mates look grotesquely disfigured.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Jelly Bean, announced in 2 weeks ago, 2012, may not be a big jump in version number, but adds a host of important updates to Android. Here are the features you can expect to see in Android 4.1.


What you get: 
  • Google Now, an assistant tool that displays relevant information based on your search history and location data.
  • A higher frame rate makes swooping through menus and homescreens feel buttery smooth.
  • View photos you've taken quickly by swiping from the camera to filmstrip view.
  • Widgets and apps politely move out of the way when you add new ones.
  • Notifications now include more information, such as photos or subject lines in emails.
  • Search results can now display answers to questions, rather than simply a list of Google web links.
  • A new gestures mode to improve accessibility for blind users, letting you navigate the UI using touch and swipe gestures, in combination with speech output.

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Android Jelly Bean Confirmed by Google



Hey Guys!


Google has let it slip that the new version of android, just like the rumours, will be called Jelly Bean!!


A listing for the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ showed up briefly on the the Play Store, before Google realised it was there, but not before Droid-Life managed to get a screenshot! According to the one-line update, the Nexus phone with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software on board will cost $400 or £225 for thou British. Knowing all companies ever, the price is more likely to be different to this. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!

That's basically all the relevant information I could find, but I will definately keep you updated :)

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