Mobile Phones Blog

Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy S3 confirmed to carry dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor

star — Sun, 20 May 2012 10:44:14 +0000

The dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor has been speculated to arrive on Verizon’s version of the Galaxy S3, and it seems as though that has just been confirmed – as the latest evidence from early NenaMark 2 benchmarks does strongly suggest a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4. This is the similar chipset that is found in the HTC One X on AT&T. The whole idea for having this hardware would most probably be the LTE support provided, something that the Exynos 4 quad chipset is unable to deliver. The NenaMark 2 benchmark also yielded additional clues such as the Adreno 225 GPU in the Snapdragon S4 outperforming the Mali-400MP in the Exynos quad by a couple of frames. Obviously, a whole lot can be derived from that, among them being it attributed to the pre-release software as well as the possibility of inconsistencies within the NenaMark 2 benchmark. Do bear in mind that the Galaxy S3?s display has been capped at 60fps, so going any faster does not make any difference either.

Apart from that, another Galaxy S3 variant, known as the SCH-I939, has also made an appearance on the NenaMark website. It seems to be headed towards the Chinese market according to the model number, and will, in all probability, continue where the I929 Galaxy S2 Duos left off. That version will have the Exynos 4 quad chipset running underneath the hood.

BlackBerry 10 features taken for a ride

star — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:42:41 +0000

What you see above is BlackBerry’s future – more specifically, flagship features of the next generation BlackBerry 10 operating system that were demonstrated to the press at a media briefing in London earlier this morning. The hardware is obviously a developer-only device, so do not expect to see future BlackBerry 10 smartphones being the same, although it might be inspired in design. What was demonstrated was the pre-release version of BlackBerry 10, and while select BlackBerry 10 devices will be full touchscreen smartphones, select models that have BlackBerry 10 right out of the box will also come with the traditional keyboard that some still cannot get by without.

According to Vivek Bhardwaj, RIM’s Head of Software Portfolio, the BB10 interface was specially constructed around fluid gestures and swipes, instead of relying on lots of individual taps in order to navigate between apps as well as functions. It was also built so that users can retrieve the menu or item of choice with a single hand or just the thumb. Sounds good to us, but aren’t most touch-based operating systems at the moment already capable of that?

LG Optimus 4X HD arriving in Europe this June with all four cores

star — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:41:10 +0000

The LG Optimus 4X HD is the first quad-core smartphone from the South Korean consumer electronics giant which will be arriving in Europe later this year, and I would say that it has definitely taken a long time considering how it was first announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February earlier this year. Just to go through the specifications, you will find the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor running inside the LG Optimus 4X HD, coupled with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system right out of the box to get you started without worrying about waiting for a software upgrade. The 2,150mAh battery as well as a 4.7? True HD IPS display are another two strong points in its favor, and we shall take a closer look at the other specifications in the extended post.

LG Optimus 4X HD has seen an upgrade to the new SiO+ battery technology since the MWC announcement, while Quick Memo has been thrown into the mix to enhance productivity and Media Plex delivering an advanced multimedia experience. At the back lies an 8-megapixel shooter with BSI (backside illumination), and you also have MHL (Mobile High Definition Link) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) thrown into the mix as well.

The money question would be this – just when will it arrive Stateside, and for how much?

Samsung Galaxy S3 hits the FCC with HSPA+

star — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:39:24 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has arrived at the FCC, and it seems to be the same as the European model that has already been spotted for quite some time. No biggie here, save for the fact that it still needs to jump through the hoops and obstacles that the FCC has placed in its way before obtaining approval for a general release Stateside. You will not find any LTE connectivity here, so the Galaxy S3 ought to (on paper) handle HSPA+ if you are an AT&T subscriber, and T-Mobile users will again be subjected to a measly EDGE connection. The regulatory label also does point towards the availability of a 2,100mAh battery that is said to last for up to 10 hours under full load with its machinations being taxed to the maximum. Any one out there busy waiting for the Galaxy S3, or are you too occupied with slaying monsters and clearing dungeons on Diablo 3?

HTC EVO 3D Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM leaks

star — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:22:04 +0000

It seems that the official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM for the HTC EVO 3D has leaked out, which puts to bed all of the other previously leaked ROMs that were not legit in the first place anyway. Team Virtuous at RootzWiki were the ones who managed to get their hands on a leaked Virgin Mobile build, and with Sprint having confirmed recently that WiMax connectivity will be provided for their prepaid services, and the aged HTC EVO 3D will be the one to carry that particular torch. The latest official leaked build is the Android 4.0.3 with Sense 3.6, and if you have the intestinal fortitude to give it a go, you might want to make a firmware upgrade prior to flashing the ROM. Since we know that an official ROM is available, I would advise you to wait for the real deal to be released officially instead of relying on a leaked copy. After all, you can never be too safe these days.

HTC One S receives a kickstand case of its own

star — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:20:49 +0000

HTC One S owners, if you wish that your phone came with a built-in kickstand, unfortunately that will not be happening. However an alternative has been provided by none other than HTC themselves by introducing a series of protective cases designed for the One S in mind. These hard plastic cases will come in a variety of different colors and will offer owners some level of protection, although we do not recommend you put it to the test. Based on the design (pictured above), it should be sufficient to prevent scratches at the back of your phone at the very least. However we guess that isn’t the point and if you’re willing to fork out an additional $15, you can get your hands on the same case except this time it will feature a spring-loaded aluminum kickstand. These cases are expected to be made available “soon” and will set you back $24.99 for the regular version, and $39.99 for the kickstand version. So, any takers?

Samsung Galaxy S3 test shots seen

star — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:53:56 +0000

Yes, videos of the Samsung Galaxy S3 accessories have already surfaced, and so too, have we seen the Galaxy S3?s battery going through a (for the lack of a better word) battery of tests. Well, here we are with another potentially interesting bit of visual information concerning the Samsung Galaxy S3 – that is, test shots from all four variants that will appear on the Big Four of the US carriers – Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. Needless to say, these were all shot using the 8-megapixel shooter found in the Gaalxy S3, and the results were not too impressive at all, but considering that these are one of the first few test photos, some allowances can be made should you have any grievances. The four photos can be seen in the extended post, and some of them are particularly weird considering that with so many photography subjects to choose from, we get a close up of a keyboard and the desk. Still, something is always better than nothing.