Android Developers YouTube Channel Confirms Ice Cream Sandwich Launch

Well folks, would you look at this. The official Android Developers YouTube channel has now confirmed we will see Android 2.4 (or 4.0) Ice Cream Sandwich detailed at the CTIA Samsung Unpacked event next week. While this isn’t a big surprise seeing it from the official channel makes it even more official. We will be seeing the next Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich next week, and we’ll be there live to bring you all the details.

       
The Androiddevelopers channel has been bringing us Android related videos for a while now, and in case you don’t remember — that was where we all got our very first glimpse and tease of Android 3.0 Honeycomb. This is a sure sign that the Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich will be unveiled in just 4 long days. At least those not there will be able to watch it live right?
Sadly we all have another 4 days and 20 something odd hours to wait for the official details — in the mean time check out all these juicy Samsung Nexus rumors. Then check out this amazing render of the new Samsung Nexus Prime we just covered. Doesn’t it look beautiful? I have a feeling that might actually be pretty close to what we see come Tuesday.
Either way I’m super excited about this event, who’s with me?

Read more »

New Nexus Prime mockup is beautifully speculative

Are you sick of Nexus Prime/Galaxy Nexus leaks and mockups? Well friend, you’re probably on the wrong website. An anonymous Tumblr user extrapolated from the early Nexus Prime render, which was itself taken from the Samsung Unbox Teaser video, to get the beautiful bit of fantasy you see here. While of course this is about as unofficial as you can get, it matches up with both Samsung’s teaser and the supposed first wild photos of Google’s next superphone.

You can see the screen mocked up to look like Ice Cream Sandwich, or at least what we’re guessing it will look like. Note the virtual navigation buttons on the bottom of the Launcher screen, the homescreen’s search and voice control links, and the Honeycomb-inspired color scheme. All in all its a wonderfully well-done render, though I think the hump on the phone’s back is probably going to be on the bottom, not the top. if the real Galaxy Nexus/Nexus Prime looked like this, a lot of Android fans would be happy.
There’s a lot of back-and-forth going on over the rumored phone’s “real” specs. The first leak this morning claimed about the same specifications we’ve been hearing for months, but with a disappointing 5 megapixel camera and a rather typical battery capacity. New rumors this afternoon peg the battery at 2050 mAh, larger than pretty much all the smartphones currently on the market, and an 8MP, 1080p back camera. The processor also gets a theoretical bump to 1.5GHz, and the tipster claims that the phone will have a hybrid 4G CDMA/GSM radio ta make it work across all US carriers.
A rumor can run around the world before the truth has got its boots on. We can’t wait until Tuesday, when all hearsay will be put to rest at CTIA.

Read more »

HTC net profits grow by two thirds in third quarter

Pay no attention to that dipping stock price, HTC is rolling in the dough. The company announced its Q3 earnings today, and profits are up by 18.64 billion Taiwanese Dollars, or about $615 million USD. That’s an increase of 68%. The company’s total revenue has hit an impressive $4.4 billion, almost all of it coming from Android and Windows Mobile 7 phones.

Margins on HTC devices are lower than other Android manufacturers, especially in their higher-end Android phones. Between that and a sliding stock price based on increasing competition in the smartphone space, some investors are questioning HTC’s long-term viability against Samsung and Apple. But the numbers speak for themselves: HTC’s market cap is sitting at about $33.8 billion dollars, more than Nokia or RIM, and definitely enough to compete with the bigger players.
To top off these impressive numbers, HTC announced its new Sensation XL in London today. The new phone, previously codenamed “Runnymede”, takes full advantage of HTC’s partnership with Beats Audio with on-board software and Beats headphones included in the retail packaging. While the Sensation XL is slated for a November release in Europe and Asia, there’s been no announcement as to when it’ll be crossing the pond to North America. 

Read more »

Sony looks to buy out Ericsson’s half of Mobile Division

If you are like the many of users that just thought Sony phones came with a last name, that being Ericsson — you were wrong. The joint venture that began back in 2001 looks to possibly be coming to an end as Sony is about to close the deal and buy Ericsson’s half of their mobile division according to reports. Sony plans to bring all the operations in house to go along with the TVs, Cameras, Media Players, and more that they’ve produced over the years.

Apparently the Japanese company plans to take the reigns of the mobile division and bring it up to par with the rest in the market. Combining forces from their tablet, smartphone, and handheld gaming divisions into one that will all work together on various levels as they develop future products. According to the Wall Street Journal, the acquisition for the Stockholm company’s half of the team is about to be closed and Sony will take charge.
Obviously this will kill the “Ericsson” part of the brand, and we are unsure if in the future we’ll just see shiny SONY logos on devices or if they’ll continue to use a name like the Xperia. Analysts have valued Sony Ericsson at $1.3-$1.7 billion not to mention all the mobile patents in their portfolio. This could also be a move from Sony to acquire some patents in the process to fend off possible lawsuits like we’ve seen lately. The deal is expected to be finished here soon but no official details or cash values have been tossed around. As soon as we hear the asking price we’ll be sure to update with further details.
Sony has been known to release some pretty quality products over the years so hopefully this will bring them up to par with the likes of Samsung. I’m hoping we see more Sony branded Android offerings here in the states soon.

Read more »

Toshiba AT200 Excite Tablet hits the FCC

Toshiba recently unveiled their brand new super thin Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet named the AT200. We’ve seen it a few times being rumored as the Toshiba Excite. Today it has cleared the FCC making this ultra-thin slate headed to the U.S sometime soon. This is the next tablet coming from Toshiba and will replace its larger brother, the Thrive.

Coming in at just 7.7mm thin, this will be one sleek tablet that is for sure. Being thinner than the Galaxy Tab 10, unless someone else beats them to market with something thin this will be the thinnest tablet around. Clearing the FCC is a good sign of things to come. An interesting note: the FCC documents from the listing show this device to have been constructed by Quanta, the same Chinese OEM that’s about to be responsible for the Amazon Kindle Fire.
We have a 10.1″ 1280 x 800 resolution display Android 3.2 Honeycomb Tab, powered by a TI OMAP 4430 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. Toshiba will be offering the tablet in three options: 16GB, 32GB, and even a 64GB flavor. The Toshiba AT200 (Excite) is said to be coming in Q4 for a holiday release, no pricing or official date has been set but with it passing through the FCC we should be hearing more soon.

Toshiba AT200 hands-on video:



)

Read more »

Lenovo A1 7″ Gingerbread tablet just $199, available now

Lenovo is all set to start shipping their newest tablet offering. The Lenovo A1 Android 2.3 Gingerbread tablet with a 7″ display and powerful 1.0 Ghz processor. First spied way back in July, it was officially announced at the beginning of September coming in with 4 awesome color options available, we have all the details below.

The Lenovo IdeaPad A1 is an affordable 7″ Android 2.3 Tab. It will feature a TI OMAP 3622 Cortex A8 1.0 Ghz single-core processor, a 5 MP rear and 2.0 front facing camera. Coming in at 11.9mm thin (0.46 inch), and weighing just 400g. Lenovo is using a magnesium alloy roll-cage internal frame design to keep the tablet strong, yet thin,light and affordable. The 7″ LED display will have a 1024 x 600 resolution similar to the Galaxy Tab 7 and offers a great visual experience.

Starting at just $199 the IdeaPad A1 comes in 4 bright colors shown above. We have 2GB of internal storage for just $199, then all available colors are being offered with 16GB storage for just $249. This may not be a powerhouse Honeycomb tablet, but for the price you have a pretty well rounded Gingerbread tablet that is portable and should fit many users budget. My only concern is the $199 dual-core Kindle Fire might have something to say here, just a thought. Although we do have dual cameras and full Google support on the A1, rather than Amazon’s ecosystem they’ve been building with the Fire.
For full details on the Lenovo A1 tablet head over to Lenovo.com, for a more detailed breakdown on colors and pricing you can click here. They are available for order right now and will begin shipping October 27th.
)

Read more »

Trinity Kernels for Nexus S and G2x receive updates

If you are one of the many that indulge in the rooting, overclocking, and general tweaking of your Android phones this will be some great news if you own one of the mentioned devices. The extremely popular Trinity kernels by Morfic have all been updated with some awesome improvements to both top speed, and for those battery conscious users that also want great performance.

Update: It appears just the Nexus received updates today, check em out anyways because I hear they are awesome.
Mainly built for the Nexus S and S 4G, he also compiles awesome kernels for the LG G2x. Morfic’s main focus is on the Nexus S and we have kernels that range from underclocked and undervolted for extremely great battery life at just 880 Mhz, all the way up to 1.54 Ghz for the single-core Nexus S. Today’s latest update the new TEUV kernel has been completely tweaked and improved for top battery life and performance both. Lowering the Nexus S from the stock 1.0 Ghz down to .88 GHz (880 MHz), this gives the device amazing battery life while still managing to perform as good or better than almost any other single-core (and some dual-core) phones on the market.
This is just a few of the many reasons we choose to root and toy with our Android smartphones. We’ve covered Trinity kernels before and with its help our G2x reached blazing fast speeds and list topping benchmarks. Then the Nexus S scoring well over 5000 in quadrant thanks to Trinity and CM7.
I know benchmarks, overclocking, and tweaking isn’t for everyone — but for those that do the Trinity kernels are worth giving a try that is for sure. Since these types of things are to be done at your own risk, as always proceed with caution and if you are considering giving a few of these a try yourself you should already know how. All the details, downloads, and versions are available at the source link below. — Thanks Simms
[via Trinity]

Read more »

HTC Sensation XL vs Samsung Galaxy S II

The HTC Sensation XL now makes that three flagship Android handsets from the Taiwanese mobile makers. Peter Chou and his team have also once again team up with Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine to bring Beats Audio software and headphones to an HTC smartphone and that gives this package one hell of an extra shine, but is it quite shiny enough?

Lurking in the wings, as ever, is the current King of the Androids in the shape of the Samsung Galaxy S II begging the big question for any wouldbe buyer - just which one is the better phone? So, we’ve lined up these two smartphones’ spec sheets and worked it out on paper at least. It’s the HTC Sensation XL vs Samsung Galaxy S II.

Form Factor

Tie: Galaxy S2

125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm, 117g

Tie: Sensation XL

132.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm, 163g

In terms of pure measurements, it’s the first round to the Samsung Galaxy S II. As ever, it’s all about how thin and how light a mobile phone is when it comes to something that’s going to be sitting in your pocket, weighing you down and interrupting the carefully tailored lines of your clothing. The SGS2 is a touch thinner and considerably lighter. The other possible disadvantage to the Sensation XL is that it’s physically bigger on the other dimensions as well, but that has its plus points later on, as we’ll see.

However, that said, we're going to call the round a tie because, as far physical design goes, it’ll be the machined aluminium block of the Sensation XL that has the edge over the more plastic look and feel of the Galaxy S II for aesthetics and ergonomic pleasure. To be fair to the Samsung, though, that doesn’t mean that it comes across as low rent. It’s still a nice piece of kit to own. Just not as satisfying as all-metal handsets.

Display

1st: Galaxy S2

4.27-inch, 800x480px, 218ppi, Super AMOLED Plus

2nd: Sensation XL

4.7-inch, 800x480px, 199ppi, LCD

It’s a very close run thing in the display category. Yes, the HTC Sensation XL screen offers a bigger viewing platform than that of the SGS2 but, sadly, at the same resolution. So, it’s one thing to lose that sharpness as a result of a lower pixel density but what it is that tips the balance is down to the screen technology itself. HTC has gone for a straight LCD but Samsung has all that panel innovation to lean back on when it comes to its Super AMOLED Plus. Without experiencing both for ourselves, we’d normally call this one a draw but word from our man on the ground who’s had some review time with the HTC Sensation XL is as follows:

That the resolution is comparatively low isn't great, the sharpness isn't really there, but it looks fine. The colours are good and vibrant and the viewing angles are fine from what I saw. The SGS2 probably has the better display though.

And there you have it.

Engine Room

1st: Galaxy S2

Samsung Exynos 4210

2nd: Sensation XL

Snapdragon MSM8255

The systems-on-chip in both phones offer plenty to be happy about but it’s the lack of a dual core CPU on the Sensation XL that will draw the criticism. It’s arguable as to whether a dual-core CPU is really needed on a smartphone at the moment anyway, but there we go.

The Samsung Exynos 4210 consists of a 1.2/1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU running the show compared to the 1.5GHz ARMv7 Scorpion on the Sensation XL. In the graphics department, it’s Samsung’s Mali-400 vs the HTC’s Adreno 205 in a battle where the former out-benchs the latter. And the final mini-round of the catgegory is for memory, again, where the Samsung wins with 1GB of RAM plays 768MB on the Sensation XL. So, dual-core or not, it’s another victory for the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Imaging

1st: Galaxy S2

8MP rear, 2MP front, 1080p video capture

2nd: Sensation XL

8MP rear, 1.3MP front, 720p video

Sadly, the headline specs - namely the missing 1080p video capture from the HTC Sensation XL camera - is what tells the story here. HTC has gone to great lengths to describe a wide aperture snapper that shoots open to f/2.2 backed up by a dual LED flash when you need it but it’s all for nought because the fact is that people want Full HD recording. The slight dip on the resolution of the front-facing webcam doesn’t really help much either. As it goes, the XL might shoot better quality images but we simply won’t know that until the HTC Sensation XL review is in.

Until then, we will leave this category with one interesting caveat from the Samsung Galaxy S II review and that’s that the autofocus does tend hunt around a bit during video capture and that can ruin your clips as they drift in and out of sharpness on occasions. You have been warned.

Connectivity

1st: Galaxy S2

Wi-Fi, NFC, 4G, BT 3.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi tethering

2nd: Sensation XL

Wi-Fi, BT 3.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi tethering

The SGS2’s constant pipping of the XL to the post is making the HTC look like a bad handset which it certainly isn’t. It might not be a big deal in the UK that there’s no 4G radio or NFC technology included but in countries where both infrastructures exist, that could be quite a let down. As we say, both phones here have got the basics, as well as tethering potential and the luxury of streaming your bits and pieces without the need of cables, but it’s the Samsung Galaxy S II that can claim the advantage on paper.

Battery Life

1st: Sensation XL

1600mAh, up to 11 hours talk time

2nd: Galaxy S2

1650mAh, up to 8 hours talk time

Despite the larger battery unit, the quoted life of the Samsung Galaxy S II is smaller than that of the Sensation XL. Now, it’s quite possible that Samsung has stated 3G talk time whereas HTC’s refers to 2G talk time but, since Samsung has said no more on the matter, then that’s what we have to believe - that you can get up to 8 hours of talk time on the SGS2 after a single charge.

That may be because it’s running a dual core processor or more RAM or a different screen technology. Or it may be inaccurate. Either way, both phones will probably make it from dawn till dusk on a single charge and that’s about it.

Software

1st: Sensation XL

Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread + HTC Sense 3.5

2nd: Galaxy S2

Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread + TouchWiz 4.0

We can sit and argue about tiny decimal places of updates on Gingerbread but what separates the sheep from the goats in this software match-up is the custom user-interfaces each compay has placed on top of Google’s mobile platform. TouchWiz 4.0 is ok. It neither gets in the way nor adds anything really significant to the equation apart from All Share and the wireless syncing tool that is Kies Air both of which you can find replacements for on the Android Market anyway. As it goes, the only unique piece of software is the Swype keyboard which is actually rather good.

The Sensation XL, on the other hand, gets the benefit of HTC Sense 3.5 UI which is known for its neat integration of your contacts and their details, as well as an excellent graphical look and feel. On top of that, the XL also comes with the Beats by Dr Dre audio circuitry inside to improve the quality of your digital music.

Storage

Tie: Galaxy S II

16/32GB + microSD

Tie: Sensation XL

16GB

Bit of an odd one this but the HTC Sensation XL comes in just one memory size and with no expandable storage options. 16GB isn’t titchy and will probably do you fine but in the face of anywhere between 16-64GB on the Samsung Galaxy S II, it’s really no competition. The question is just how much data are you looking to carry around at any one time?

Price

Galaxy S2

£410 (16GB)

Sensation XL

£unknown (16GB)

No prices just yet for the HTC Sensation XL, so not a lot we can say about this round for the time being. However, since the SGS2 has been around for a while and the XL is fresh out of the blocks, we’re willing to bet that’s the latter that comes out more expensive.

Conclusion

1st: Galaxy S2

2nd: Sensation XL

Apart from a dubious call on the battery and a good win on the software front, the HTC Sensation XL doesn’t come out too well on paper against the current king of the Androids. All the same, to warn you off the Sensation XL would be a mistake. It’s a good looking device with a good looking UI and some great sounding audio. It even comes packaged with some decent Beats By Dr Dre headphones too. For pure grunt though, it can’t quite match the Samsung Galaxy S II which will run games better and is probably the superior device to use as a video player too.

That said, if you’re all about look and feel, playing music, browsing the web and taking cracking stills, then you may find that the HTC Sensation XL is actually more suited to your needs.

Read more »

HTC Sensation XL: 4.7-inch monster Android phone with Beats

HTC has announced the HTC Sensation XL, the third handset in its Sensation range of flagship smartphones, but the first not to feature a dual-core processor. The new handset was launched at HTC's Beats event at the Roundhouse in London.
So what is so XL about it exactly, given it falls behind even the first Sensation in the power department? Well 4.7-inches of screen puts the XL into this Sensation sandwich, along with 16GB of in-built memory (only 12GB available to the user) and the inclusion of the quite frankly awesome Beats Audio technology.?
The HTC Sensation XL is the second Beats branded phone to be launched by HTC, following the recent HTC Sensation XE. The XL is out-powered by the XE however, so even though it is bigger, it's not necessarily going to be better.
The Sensation XL includes an 8-megapixel camera with fast F/2.2 lens, which should be great for shooting in low light, as well as a dual LED flash and a 1.3-megapixel snapper on the front. It only offers 720p video capture however.?
Display-wise you get a 4.7-inch 480 x 800 Gorilla Glass screen. Powering the Sensation XL is a 1600mAh battery, which keeps the single core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM 8255 processor ticking over. There is 768MB RAM and the phone will ship with Android 2.3.5.
All the usual HTC bells and whistles are present, including the new HTC Sense 3.5, and as this is a Beats branded handset, you get a set of upbeats in the box, with custom Beats Audio profiles to make the most of your music when you hook-up those headphones.
There will also be an HTC Sensation XL special edition that comes with a pair of white Beats Solo headphones, although we don't yet know who will be offering this edition of the phone.
The handset itself measures in at?132.5 x 70.7 x 9.9mm and is relatively lightweight at 162.5g. If you fancy joining us an in depth look at the new monster Android handset why not check out our HTC Sensation XL First Look review?where we'll give you all our first impressions and a huge gallery of glorious pictures.
UPDATE: We've heard that Vodafone, 3 and O2 will be stocking the new HTC Sensation XL in the UK, available from the beginning of November across Europe and Asia.?

Read more »