Motorola XT912A benchmark test spotted; is this the 5.2-inch, Android 4.4.3 Moto X+1?
Ever since we first heard of the Motorola Moto X+1, we haven’t heard much more about it besides some customization options which may be available to the device. After a new benchmark spotted on GFXBench, however, we might have a better idea of what the device might have hardware-wise. The benchmark, which is for a device named as the Motorola XT912A possess a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, a 5.2-inch 1080p display and was running Android 4.4.3.
Joining these hardware specs will be a 12MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. If this isn’t a dead ringer for a Moto X successor, then I don’t know what will be. If this does eventually become the Moto X+1, it looks like the device has improved in all the right areas. And judging by the performance of the original Moto X, the performance of the Moto X+1 should be surprisingly impressive. Having said that, benchmark data isn’t always the best source of leaked information (it can easily be faked) so we’ll have to wait and see if any developments come up in the near future.
Would you consider the Motorola Moto X+1 if it had the hardware of the Motorola XT912A? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: GFXBench via Phone Arena
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Daily Roundup: Nokia joins Microsoft, a traveler’s guide to in-flight WiFi, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Nokia is now officially part of Microsoft
Well, it’s finally official: Nokia is now one with Microsoft. What does that mean for the of the Nokia X and Lumia handsets? Nadella and Co. promised to continue supporting both lineups, but only time will tell, right?
A traveler’s guide to in-flight WiFi
Just as airlines are becoming more friendly towards gadgets, in-flight WiFi is making great strides at 30,000 feet. Read on as Zach Honig, our own resident travel expert, explains the newest connectivity options from several major airlines.
Netflix data didn’t feed House of Cards’ success, ‘the bliss of ignorance’ did
If you were turned off to Netflix’s House of Cards after the serie’s brutal opening scene, you wouldn’t be alone. But regardless of the negative feedback, Beau Willimon, the man responsible for the show’s development, says that his only responsibility is to “tell a great story.”
Watch this six-way trailer for Evolve, the latest shooter from the makers of Left 4 Dead
Turtle Rock Studios, the team behind Left 4 Dead, have a brand new co-op shooter incoming called Evolve. What’s more, the game’s trailer is interactive, allowing viewers to switch between the perspective of each player with just a click of the mouse.
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The new Amazon smartphone will come with a Prime Data plan exclusively on AT&T
Earlier this month, we finally got our first look at the smartphone that Amazon has been rumoured to be working on and while details have been relatively scarce, most rumours point towards a June release later this year. We also haven’t heard much about availability of the device, however BGR apparently has the new low-down.
According to rumour, the Amazon smartphone will come with a Prime Data plan which presumably has some kind of overlap of services with the Amazon Prime program. Some sources are also saying that this Prime Data plan and the Amazon smartphone will only be available on the AT&T network in the US. We can only speculate on why Amazon would have gone with a deal like this, but it does follow a similar strategy offered by its Kindle devices which is to offer Amazon services on a smaller scale. Hopefully the pricing of this new smartphone will also adopt the Kindle’s penchant for great value.
What little we know of this new Amazon smartphone seems to suggest it will have a 4.7-inch, 720p display, some kind of a Qualcomm processor, 2GB RAM and a 13MP rear camera. The four cameras on the corners of the front face (as seen in the photo above) are rumoured to give the device 3D capabilities. While it might not set the world on fire whenever the device does finally release, it’s definitely one of the more interesting devices we’ve heard of this year.
What do you think about Amazon possibly offering its new smartphone exclusively in the U.S. on AT&T? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: BGR via Phone Arena
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OnePlus One Smash the Past campaign seems like a sure way to get Disappointed
We’ve seen pretty interesting marketing campaigns over the years but this one takes the cake. You may have heard of the OnePlus One Smash the Past campaign which OnePlus has gone live with today; essentially the basis for it is for people to destroy their phones in the hopes of being one of the first 100 owners of the OnePlus One. Think they’re joking? Check out the trailer for the campaign:
I’m all for phone manufacturers being cocky and showing each other up in clever advertising and marketing campaigns, but this campaign seems terribly thought out and unnecessarily destructive. According to the Smash the Past website, all you need to do is:
- Step 1: fill out an application form (stating your desctruction method);
- Step 2: be one of the 100 people chosen to destroy your phone;
- Step 3: then share your entry on YouTube.
Step 2 is probably the most crucial detail where OnePlus will actually contact you to give you the go ahead to destroy your device; predictably, however, some eager beavers on YouTube preempted the official rules and destroyed their phones anyway:
I almost feel sorry for the guy at the end of the second video when he dejectedly says “I hope I’m going to get my OnePlus One”. Sorry buddy, not this time.
I can’t imagine OnePlus will be reimbursing these particularly eager people which is part of the reason why this was such an oversight on their behalf. This is a shame because OnePlus has such a bright future ahead of them but has slightly tarnished it now with this misleading marketing campaign. Let’s hope they don’t do anything quite as radical for its next device. Oh, and if you are actually planning on entering the competition, be aware that there is a shortlist of devices that can be entered to be destroyed; shame, I was looking forward to destroying my Nokia 5110.
What do you think about the OnePlus One Smash the Past campaign? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Smash the Past via Phandroid
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Judge rules US search warrants still apply to info stored overseas
A New York judge just made a ruling that could set a dangerous precedent: he’s decided that US search warrants still apply to email accounts and other digital info, even if they’re stored overseas. US Magistrate James Francis made that decision to make sure a search warrant issued to Microsoft for a user’s account whose emails are stored on a Dublin, Ireland server goes through. The tech giant’s thankfully fighting that decision, and in a statement says:
A U.S. prosecutor cannot obtain a U.S. warrant to search someone’s home located in another country, just as another country’s prosecutor cannot obtain a court order in her home country to conduct a search in the United States. We think the same rules should apply in the online world, but the government disagrees.
Sadly, Judge Francis doesn’t share the same thinking and believes search warrants for digital contents should be executed no matter where in the world they’re stored. He also says internet companies like Google and Microsoft have no right to refuse if a court orders them to hand over a user’s details.
Sadly, Judge Francis doesn’t share the same thinking and believes search warrants for digital content should be executed no matter where in the world they’re held.
Filed under: Microsoft
Source: Reuters
YouTube for Android now auto-generates playlists of your favorite artists
Making YouTube playlists can be a real pain, especially if you just want to veg out listening to music after a long day at work. If you’re using an Android phone or tablet, though, you can now just type in an artist’s name and voilà — YouTube will auto-generate a playlist with the artist’s most popular videos. The results, however, are mostly Vevo clips, and (sadly) it might not work for lesser-known artists. According to Android Police, this feature (called YouTube Mix) recently made its way to Android after popping up for desktops first in 2013. The lack of fanfare suggests it’s just something Google’s been experimenting with, so we wouldn’t be surprised if this is the first time you’ve heard of it. Since Mountain View hasn’t officially announced anything, we can’t say whether all Android users can access YouTube Mix — but it’s the weekend anyway, so have fun trying it out.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Brandon Lall (Google+)
Android is reportedly getting voice commands everywhere
Outside of the Moto X, hands-free voice commands on Android are limited; pick up a Nexus 5 or Galaxy S5 and you’ll find that “OK Google” only works at the home screen. If Android Police‘s sources are accurate, though, you’ll soon get to bark out orders no matter where you are in the interface. Google is reportedly trying out an “OK Google everywhere” feature (mocked up here) that, much like the Moto X, is always listening and responds only to your voice. It might also pay attention to what you’re running. If you’re browsing snapshots, for example, you could tell your phone to “share this photo.”
That may not be the only change in store. Experiments are reportedly underway with a new navigation bar that replaces the usual home button with a “Google” item. Hit that and you’d start a search without having to speak first. If you need to return to the main screen, you’d use the “recents” (read: multitasking) key. Suffice it to say that this would be a big break for Google, which hasn’t changed its basic approach to navigation since Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) in 2011.
Don’t count on either the voice or search features coming to a phone near you, however. While AP believes that at least some of these Android revisions will reach shipping software, they’re not guaranteed to make the cut. Also, these may only show up in the official Google Now launcher — third-party phones could mix things up. Still, we wouldn’t rule out seeing any of these features on stage at the I/O conference this June.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Android Police
U.S. Cellular pushing out Android 4.4.2 to their Galaxy S4
Hot on the delayed heals of Verizon, or possibly the other way around, U.S. Cellular customers are being treated to Android 4.4.2 KitKat for their respective Galaxy S4′s too. In their “What’s New” guide they talk about memory optimization, faster touch screen response time, and better multitasking.
The update is trolling out via a typical OTA and could take a little while to hit every user out there. If you are a bit impatient, you can hook your Galaxy S4 up to your PC and use Samsung Kies to push the update onto your device. Either way, be sure you have well over 50% battery life before you get going on this.
Via U.S. Cellular 1 / 2
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Engadget Podcast 394 – 4.25.14
Ben and Terrence are serving up a big bureaucratic burrito this week, chock full of net neutrality, legalese and corporate self-interest. To help you digest this gut-buster of a mind meal, we’ve enlisted Engadget’s Editor-in-chief and self-proclaimed armchair attorney Michael Gorman. It’s refreshing to know that the Supreme Court is having an intelligent discussion about Aereo’s conflict with the big wigs in broadcast TV, but the outcome is anyone’s guess at this point. As always, laws are laden with doublespeak and nebulous terms, leaving lots of wiggle room for greedy corporations that favor the bottom line over customers desires. Please join us for this week’s lawyerly edition of the Engadget Podcast.
Hosts: Terrence O’Brien, Ben Gilbert
Guest: Michael Gorman
Producer: Jon Turi
Hear the podcast:
04:41 – FCC claims it hasn’t abandoned net neutrality at all, opens a new inbox for comments
23:26 – What you need to know about Aereo’s battle with broadcast television
35:05 – The Supreme Court heard Aereo’s case, whether they understood it could mean everything
Subscribe to the podcast:
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Download the podcast:
Contact the podcast:
Connect with the hosts on Twitter: @terrenceobrien, @realbengilbert, @numeson
Email us: podcast [at] engadget [dot] com
Filed under: Podcasts
Nike CEO: Focusing on software, ‘excited’ about relationship with Apple
Just a week after a report emerged that Nike could be ending its Fuelband division, CEO Mike Parker confirmed that the company would be focusing more on software rather than just hardware. In an interview with CNBC, Parker said, “We are focusing more on the software side of the experience […] It’ll be integrated into other products that we create.” He also appears bullish on the Nike Fuel system, and hopes to increase the number of users on that platform.
As for the fate of the Fuelband itself, he wouldn’t comment on its reported demise or the related layoffs. However, he did say that there are currently over 30 million Fuelband customers and he hopes for that number to reach a 100 million, so it seems sales of the wearable won’t be ending just yet. When asked about a possible hardware collaboration with Apple, Parker was coy but did say that they’re “excited about where that relationship will go forward.” He also said “I will say that the relationship between Nike and Apple will continue” and that he was “very excited about what’s to come.” If this at all points to the possibility of an iWatch, we’re sure he won’t be the only one.
Filed under: Apple
Via: CNET
Source: CNBC
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