#TBT: Mobile phones: Then and Now

If you grew up in the 80′s or 90′s, you’d definitely see the huge difference and improvements in the mobile industry. For our Throwback Thursday this week, we look at one of the most popular handset of of the 21st century and compare it with the handset of the 20th century.

We’re sure you still remember the Nokia 5110. It was one of the best phones of the 90′s. We compare it to the Apple iPhone to see what we’ve gained and what we’re missing.

Sometimes, technology doesn’t really improve things — they just make them more complicated.

Source: Yugatech

Jony Ive co-designs rare Leica M for Project RED

In an effort to continue his global crusade to fight HIV-AIDS, Product Red founder and U2 lead singer Bono taps Apple’s SVP of Design Jony Ive and world-renown industrial designer Marc Newson to design a one-of-a-kind Leica M (RED) camera which will be auctioned on the 23rd of this month.

This is what they came up with:

Not to take anything away from the two brilliant minds that designed this Leica M, but I think that it looks like a toy camera rather than a serious photographic tool. But knowing that all the proceeds that it’ll generate will go to a noble cause, I can care less about its looks. And besides, it’s not like I’m gonna bid for it anyways.

Source: Yugatech

ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 Review

ASUS set really good standards on what a 7-inch Android tablet should be with theGoogle Nexus 7. Now that they have to launch their own 7-incher under the Nexus shadow, they needed something that can shine in its own right without getting burned by its pure-blooded cousin. The company’s answer is the ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7.

Design and Construction

At first glance, the HD 7 looks similar to the 2012 Google Nexus 7 especially if you look on the front. The dimensions are almost the same and if it weren’t for the ASUS logo found below the display it could almost pass as a Nexus 7.

Motorola Moto G budget phone: 4.5-inch display, Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM, 5MP camera

Motorola has announced its intentions to become a dominant force in the low-end smartphone market. That plan will be carried out in the form of the inexpensive Motorola Moto G smartphone, a wallet-friendly device with a 4.5-inch 720p display and quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU for just $179.

Despite its affordable price, the Motorola Moto G isn’t short of decent specs and features. Besides a big display with high resolution and relatively fast mobile CPU, the phone also has a fast mobile data support and an adequate amount of RAM (1GB). The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 for improved resistance to drops and scratches. There’s even coating inside for added water resistance.

Essentially, the Moto G is the Moto X in budget form. Touting a similar curved design, this budget phone has a removable back cover that can be swapped for another color (yellow, red, black, white, pink, dark and light blue). It doesn’t have the same level of customization as its high-end sibling, but the Moto G offers a number of accessories, including flip covers, colored cases, and wireless speakers. A dual-SIM variant is also in the works.

For more info: Noypigeeks

Epson donates 2 million pesos to aid Typhoon Yolanda relief operations

Continuing its practice of extending aid to disaster-affected areas, the Epson group of companies in the Philippines has donated Php2 million for relief operations in the areas severely affected by the Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda).  The assistance was made through the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a local non-profit organization.

Aside from monetary aid, Epson employees will also work with PBSP personnel to undertake on-site relief operations. Voluntary contributions from Epson employees are also being aggregated by the company to complement the aid that the company has donated.

Typhoon Haiyan struck central areas of the Philippines, including the islands of Leyte and Samar in the Visayas region. Many consider it as one of the worst typhoons to hit the Philippines in recorded history. The full extent of the damage is still unclear.

“Epson employees grieve with the families affected by Typhoon Yolanda. Our prayers go along with our donation and our manpower support. We stand with you in this harrowing ordeal,” said Epson Environment Manager Joyce Tan.

Epson wishes to extend its sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, and hopes for the speedy recovery of the areas damaged by the disaster.

Clash of Clans: How to link your iOS and Android device

I’ve just started playing Clash of Clans and, so far, I’m really enjoying the game. If you’ve recently switched to Android from an iOS device and want to continue where you left off, there’s an easy way to import your progress.

Importing your Clash of Clans progress is called linking, doing of which is shown below:

1. In your iOS device, simply go to the settings menu.
2. Link a Device
3. This is the OLD DEVICE
4. I want to link to another device.
5. Now in your Android device, go to the settings menu.
6. Link a Device
7. This is the NEW DEVICE
8. Enter the link code displayed in your iOS device.

Note that the settings menu is accessible only after you’ve finished playing the tutorial. Since the Android device is presumably where you will import your old game progress, it doesn’t matter what username you chose and the new progress you’ve made—they will be, after all, overwritten by the imported file.

Finally, linking your iOS device with an Android gadget is only done once. Both devices are then synced together, so you can play on either one with your latest progress in the game. Also, linking to a new device no longer works if said device comes with a Town Hall Level 4 or have already made purchases.

The satisfaction of building a great base and the thrill of invading those of other players are opportunities too good to pass up. Indeed it’d be so disappointing if you have to start all over again just because you switched platforms. Luckily, developers these days make great games like Clash of Clans, while not forgetting cross-platform compatibility.

Recently ported to Android just last month, the Clash of Clans app is a free download via theGoogle Play Store. For those who can afford it or just want to speed things up a little, in-app purchases are also available.

Skype offers free credits for users affected by Typhoon Haiyan

In an effort to help people affected by Typhoon Haiyan get in touch with their loved ones to let them know they’re alright, Skype is pitching in to give aid in the form of free credits.

You might want to check the e-mail you used to register for your Skype account to get your voucher code. Head to the Skype website to redeem your $2 free credit. It may not seem enough but call rates to U.S. numbers is just 2.2 cents per minute so that should give you a lot of time to let your friends and relatives know how things are at your end.

Lenovo Vibe Z: Snapdragon 800, 5.5-inch 1080p display, dual-SIM, 2GB RAM

Setting itself apart by sporting a Snapdragon 800 processor (instead of the MediaTek chips that Lenovo usually employs in its devices), the Lenovo Vibe Z is an upcoming smartphone with dual-SIM functionality and runs a custom Android-based ROM.

You can think of the Lenovo Vibe Z as a more powerful version of Vibe X, announced back in September. Almost every aspect has been pretty much revamped, although the same back finish for minimal fingerprint smudges is still there. The newer handset is also thicker at 7.9mm, albeit still considered thin in today’s standards. The display is now a 5.5-inch IPS display with 1080p (full HD) resolution. Standing in as the rear camera is a Sony IMX135 sensor that apparently can shoot ten photos in half a second, with a low-light mechanism and dual-LED flash that ultimately result to brighter pictures with minimal noise.

Besides the CPU, the innards consist of an Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. There’s a dual-SIM tray and a yet-unspecified battery that Lenovo claims to last 278.5 hours on standby for the WCDMA + GSM model. This is just one of several models to be made available for Chinese carriers, while a GSM + 4G LTE version is headed for the international market.

Source: Noypigeeks

BenQ launches Flicker-free monitors, helps save your eyes

Eye health is one of the major concerns for a lot of people, especially those who are always working in front of the computer. In today’s digital world, almost everyone uses computers heavily. 

One of the most common problem is the Computer Vision Syndrome that is a result of long periods of exposure to computer monitors that causes headaches, blurred vision, redness and dryness of the eyes, eye fatigue and even myopia.

Last November 5, 2013, BenQ launched the Flicker-free line of monitors that reduce the risks of eyestrain while enhancing work productivity. Flickering, or the flashing effect of the monitor is the effect of the LED backlight controller adjusting to the changes in the brightness level. This strains the human eye as the ciliary muscle adjusts to the invisible flickering resulting to the abovementioned eye problems.

For more info: Pinoytechblog

List of standard Twitter Hashtags for Typhoon Yolanda updates and efforts

Filipino netizens agreed on standard Twitter hashtags to coordinate news, updates, rescue and relief efforts relating to Typhoon Yolanda. This will be of help for people using or heavily relying on social media for information as hashtags now cut across different online social networks.

For a quick reference of the standard hashtags, please refer below:

#ReliefPH – Rescue Coordination

#RescuePH – Urgent Rescue Needed

#SafeNow – Resolved #RescuePH

#FloodPH – Damage Reporting

#TracingPH – Report Missing People

#YolandaPH – Media storm coverage

The hashtags, if used properly, can help facilitate exchange of information relevant and significant to those who seek information about this tragedy. As a courtesy, do refrain from using the hashtags out of their supposed functions so messages and updates are effectively tracked.

Source: Pinoytechblog

Canon wraps 2012 PhotoMarathon Manila leg with 2,500 participants

The Manila leg of Canon’s 2012 PhotoMarathon competition drew to a close last Saturday with a record-breaking number of participants shooting in the streets of Intramuros, Manila.

“This has by far the greatest attendance among all our PhotoMarathons from the past seven years,” said Alan Chng, president and CEO of Canon Marketing Philippines. “This is the perfect year-end occasion to thank those who have supported Canon and continuously strengthened the photography community.”

Last year’s Manila leg consisted of around 2,000 participants, while the Luzon and Visayas legs of 2012 were able to gather over 200 and 100 participants, respectively.

This year, 2,500 participants from the point-and-shoot, DSLR, and camcorder categories took on the challenge of shooting the best scenes or subjects within a given theme and time limit.

The Canon Crusaders of Light judged the entries.  The winners of each category were awarded with top-of-the-line Canon gadgets and accessories.

Canon PhotoMarathon 2012 is co-presented by Aperture Trading, Benro, Cebu Pacific Air, Columbia Digital, DELL, Echo Store, Gatorade, Intel, and Mang Inasal. Major sponsors are Black Rapid, Datacolor Spyder 4, FPPF, Petron, Selecta Overload, Selecta Magnum, Spider Holster, Tenba, Thinktank, Transcend, Xfinity, Zesto Fruitsoda, and Zesto Slice. Media partners include BusinessMirror, Digital Photographer Philippines (DPP), HWM, iMag, and Manila Bulletin’s Picture Perfect.

Globe announces Huawei Ascend P1 LTE as its first ever LTE handset

Globe’s made good on their promise to out an LTE device on their network. The local telco has chosen the LTE version of the Huawei Ascend P1 as the first ever device on their LTE network.The Huawei Ascend P1 LTE is available for free at Globe Unli Surf 1799 with unlimited data, along with a  Php 800 monthly consumable for calls and texts, and three call and text freebies that can be changed monthly.

Globe will also be offering a lower postpaid plan for the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE, under  Unli Surf 999 at P500 cashout for 24 months. Prepaid kit is also available at P21,000. We’re not exactly sure who Globe is targeting with the pre-paid LTE kit for the P1, but we’re assuming that they’re trying to get early adopters of their LTE service to buy the LTE phone to stick their LTE SIMs inside instead of the USB dongle that was initially offered. The  Huawei Ascend P1 LTE has a 1.5GH dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Multi-Touch Screen, Android ICS with 8 megapixel camera, WiFi, and BlueTooth.

Average display sizes keep on growing in tech, smartphones lead the way

You have witnessed it with smartphones in the last couple of years, but it’s a trend all across the industry - screen sizes are growing, according to the latest study by NPD Display Search.

Actually, if we take away OLED TVs which have started appearing massively recently, phones show the fastest growth in screen size. In 2010, the average handset screen size was merely 2.4 inches, growing to 2.6” in 2011, and 3 inches on average this year. In 2013, the average mobile phone will have a screen of 3.3 inches, as more and more people switch to owning a smartphone.

In the four years since 2010, that would be a growth of 38%. In 2012, we’ve seen most high-end Android handsets to feature 4.7-inch and larger display.

And that’s how it is all across the industry. There is one notable exception and that is mobile PCs, where we’ve seen sizes actually decline and the focus shift to portability. Tablets are a key part of that development. With 10.1-inch Android tablets, the 9.7-inch iPad and the growth of 7-inch affordable tablets, mobile PCs are getting dragged down.

How do you feel about that overall growth of screen sizes? How far can it go for smartphones?

 

Source: NPD

And here's a Sony Xperia VL for you, Japan

Sony just can't stop announcing new Xperia models these days. Being dangerously close to running out of letters, the company has started using two-letter combinations for its model names as of late. Yet another such new model is the Xperia VL, a mid-end Android device exclusive to the Japanese market.

Expected to launch on KDDI by the end of the year, the Sony Xperia VL will offer goodies such as a 4.3" "Reality Display" with HD resolution and Mobile Bravia Engine 2, 13MP camera, dust and water resistance, 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor 1 GB RAM, NFC and LTE.

By the looks of it - a pretty well-spec'd mid-ranger that should come at an affordable price. The preloaded OS will be Android 4 ICS, so Japanese customers are left to hope that a Jelly Bean update will follow soon.

 

Source: Sony

AnandTech reviews the iPhone 5: A6’s Swift processor clocked at 1.3GHz, taken through paces

The Apple iPhone 5 has been out for almost a month now, and while that might seem like a lot of time, it has been barely enough for tech gurus from AnandTech to take the device through its paces. And testing they did.

Why is this important? AnandTech gives the single most technical review of the iPhone 5, so for those who really want to understand what hardware Apple uses and why despite playing down specs, the company is actually running ahead in the silicon race. At the same time, Apple releases very little technical details about its custom-made chips like the A6 in the iPhone 5, and that’s why you need to do some state-of-the-art testing to get basic specs like the clock speed of the processor.

The first big conclusion that Anand and crew draw about the iPhone 5 is that Apple is actually delivering more than the double processor performance it announced at the unveiling. The iPhone 5 is powered by an A6 chip and on the die is a processor clocked at the unprecedented for Apple 1.3GHz. The processor itself is called Swift, and it is a custom Apple solution built on top of the architecture license from ARM. Anand expects this to signal a huge increase in the next iPad’s processor, possibly with Apple bumping it up to 1.5GHz.

Sadly, there are little good benchmarking apps for iOS (and cross-platform for that matter) to fully show the differences, but from the few Javascript tests available, it is clear that the iPhone 5 processor is cream of the crop, second only to Intel’s Atom Z2460 chip found on devices like the Motorola RAZR i. Apple has shrunken the size of the A6 chip itself, but it’s still not a small one.

You might remember that the iPad starting with the late second-gen tablet had the huge A5X chip, measuring a whopping 163mm2. This meant a lot of space for graphics, but while the new A6 measures a comparatively low 97mm2, it still has three cores, and runs all three cores at 33% faster speeds than on the A5. All are still PowerVR 543 cores, and this makes the whole setup deliver performance comparable to that of the third iPad. The difference? It’s in a phone.

Bottomline is that when someone tells you that Apple doesn’t care about specs and hardware, they’d be plain wrong. The company in Cupertino is on an aggressive one year cadence which it has followed rigorously with the sole exception of the iPhone 4S. While rivals like Samsung also have started releasing one flagship per year, Apple has the advantage of a fall launch, just in time for the Holiday season when sales flourish. There is a lot more to learn in the review below, so just head on there for all the interesting details.

 

Source: AnandTech

There are now over 1 billion smartphone users on the planet

In Q3 of 2012, a pretty significant milestone has been reached, according to a study by the research experts at Strategy Analytics. It is estimated that the total number of smartphone owners worldwide has surpassed the 1 billion mark for the first time ever since smartphones came to be back in 1996. In comparison, the figure stood at 0.7 billion at the end of Q3, 2011. That's huge!

Think of it this way: one in seven people around the globe have some kind of a smartphone, be it an iPhone, an Android handset, a Symbian device, or any kind of phone worthy of being called smart. But what's even more exciting is that the numbers are to go higher at an even more ridiculous pace, if the research is correct.

The folks at Strategy Analytics believe that the number of smartphone owners in the world will reach 2 billion no later than 2015. That's pretty astonishing considering that the first billion took well over a decade to reach. Furthermore, the Android user base alone will surpass the 1 billion mark in 2013, if it keeps growing at the predicted rates. All of that is because there is still a huge potential for growth, especially in markets like China, India, and African countries.

Source: Strategy Analytics

Microsoft Surface RT prices appear: $499 with no Touch Cover, $599 with it

Microsoft Surface RT prices have leaked out. The 10.6-inch tablet designed and made by Microsoft will cost as much as the iPad. Prices start at $499 for the most basic 32GB version, but that won’t buy you that neat Touch Cover keyboard dock. For a dock-equipped Surface, you’d need to shell out $100 more, bringing the total to $599. 

The 10.6-inch Surface comes with a paltry “HD” resolution that is likely to be 1366 x 768 pixels. And that just doesn’t compare well with the third-gen iPad and its whopping 2048 x 1536-pixel screen and thousands of apps.

Here is how the prices for Windows RT Microsoft Surface tablets break down:

• 32GB Microsoft Surface RT without Touch Cover - $499
• 32GB Microsoft Surface RT with Touch Cover - $599
• 64GB Microsoft Surface RT without Touch Cover - $599
• 64GB Microsoft Surface RT with Touch Cover - $699

So it goes in a direct battle with the iPad. The advantages? It’s got that vapor-deposited (PVD) magnesium case in a 9.3mm thin body weighing only 1.5lbs, and featuring a built-in kickstand.

The touch cover alone would sell for $119, and the type cover with hardware keys will retail for $129.

So there you have it - if you still had hopes that the Surface would be the cheap option, you can finally put those to rest. Is that really competitive? And will it stand a chance against the iPad? Microsoft is bullish and is said to have ordered 3 to 5 million for the Holiday quarter. Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Microsoft Store via TheVerge

Samsung Galaxy Nexus is just $320 at Daily Steals

Although it is nearly an year old, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is still a pretty decent smartphone. It has a spacious HD screen, a snappy dual-core processor, and most importantly, it gets the latest Android software updates as soon as Google releases them.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus on sale for $320

And in case you've been waiting for the right time to get one, this might be it. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is now being offered for $320 at Daily Steals, unlocked for use with any GSM carrier (sorry, Verizon and Sprint subscribers) and with no carrier commitment required. As a side note, the smartphone is being offered for $350 directly from the Google Play store. 

But as the name of the retailer suggests, the deal will expire at the end of the day – at midnight, EST, to be more specific. So if you are interested in a new, unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus, just follow the source link below and check the offer out. 

Source: Daily Steals via Android Authority

Analyst: T-Mobile might get the iPhone in 2013

Although one is still free to bring their iPhone to T-Mobile and take advantage of its unlimited data plans, purchasing Apple's pride and joy from the carrier itself isn't an option... yet. However, the nation's fourth largest carrier might start offering the iPhone in 2013, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Nick Delfas. Or in his own words, T-Mobile could "announce official iPhone distribution in early 2013," – a move which might result in Apple shipping an additional one to two million iPhone 5 units out of its warehouses over the course of Q1, 2013.

Now, the first logical question that comes to mind is which is the network that the iPhone 5 will run on, if it launches on T-Mobile? The carrier has already deployed a pretty robust HSPA+ infrastructure, but the smartphone's latest model supports the newer LTE connectivity standard, in addition to HSPA+. Thankfully, T-Mobile is already testing an LTE network of its own, and if all goes as planned, it might be operational in 2013, which lines up nicely with the possibility of an iPhone 5 launch. What's more is that the carrier is said to be trying out equipment compatible with the LTE Advanced standard, which is faster than the LTE used in the U.S. today, yet backwards compatible with it in order to support existing devices.

Of course, whether the iPhone 5 will ever launch on T-Mobile is still up in the air. Nothing is known with certainty, so don't get your hopes up high until the deal between Apple and T-Mobile is official. But if it ever does, would anyone be willing to get one? Lets us know down in the comments!

Source: Morgan Stanley via CNET

Apple allegedly telling suppliers to prep for the iPad 4, coming mid-2013 with two-chip LEDs

Those all-knowing "supply chain sources" are chiming in for something so far out in the future as the next generation iPad. Well, for us it seems far out, but Apple undoubtedly has a very good idea what will go into their next iPad unit, so it has allegedly warned suppliers to start prepping with new equipment.

The next-gen iPad will reportedly feature the same 9.7" screen size, but the "Resolutionary" display which be much simplified, with half of the 84 LED units needed now for the backlighting, which complicate the design and consume battery life. The 2013 iPad will be using two-chip packages instead of single chip ones for those LED lights now.

This should lead to reduced power consumption and more internal room, which we have no doubts will be used by Apple to stuff some top-notch features and hardware, or an even bigger battery inside.

Source: Digitimes